Portrait of Charley Kenny, brought from Cuba.
Portrait of Child found in the

Portrait of

Wurzburg

Choctaw Nation.

Child, traced

by the United States Consul at Nu-

remberg, Bavaria.
Portrait of

Henry Lachmueller, found

in Illinois.

M1265G4

INTRODUCTION,

7

CHAPTER

I.

THE ABDUCTION,

25

CHAPTER
THE

II.

FROM THE ABDUCTORS, AND BEGINNING OF THE SEARCH BY THE POLICE,
FIRST LETTER

CHAPTER

III.

....

LETTERS FROM THE ABDUCTORS AND INCIDENTS CON-

NECTED WITH THE SEARCH,

CHAPTER
PUBLIC INTEREST IN

IV.

—REWARD OFFERED,

THE CASE

CHAPTER

V.

LETTERS FROM ABDUCTORS CONTINUED
TRIP TO ALBANY, N. Y.,

CHAPTER
LETTERS OF SYMPATHY

—MEMORABLE
"3

VI.

—TRACING OF CHILDREN,
(v)

90

147

—
CONTENTS.

VI

CHAPTER

VII.

—

THE REAL ABDUCTORS SUSPECTED EMPLOYMENT OF
THE PINKERTON DETECTIVE AGENCY IN THE
SEARCH,

173

CHAPTER
SUGGESTIONS

VIII.

FROM SPIRITUALISTS AND CONVICTS

SEARCH IN TRENTON, N.

.

200

—THEIR TRAGIC
—^VIGOROUS SEARCH FOR CHARLEY,

.

J.,

CHAPTER

.

.

IX.

LAST LETTERS FROM THE ABDUCTORS

DEATH

CHAPTER

.

224

.

.

269

X.

LOST CHILDREN RESTORED TO THEIR PARENTS,

CHAPTER

.

XI.

INTERESTING CASES OF TRACED CHILDREN

—INTERVIEW

WITH A SHOWMAN,

3II

CHAPTER

XII.

—

A MYSTERY NOT CLEARED UP CHILDREN TRACED
THE UNITED STATES AND NOVA SCOTIA,
.

CHAPTER
TRIAL OF WILLIAM WESTERVELT
SION OF NARRATIVE,

IN
.

353

XIII.

—THEORIES—CONCLU39O

APPENDIX.

—

THE DISAPPEARANCE OF FREDDIE LEIB APPEAL OF
PARENTS TO AID IN THE SEARCH FOR HIM,

HIS
.

425

mTEODUCTTOIf

CHARLES

P.

KRAUTH,

D.D.,

LL.D,

Vice-Provost of the University of Pennsylvania, and Norton Professor of Theology in the Lutheran Theological Seminary, Philadelphia; Author of
" The Conservative Reformation and its
Theology," " Berkeley's Principles,
â&#x20AC;˘

with Prolegomena And Annotations," ETC., ETC., ETC.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

INTRODUCTION.
HE

world, from of old to our day,

is

full

of

They

are stories of

bereavements sharper than death.

The sorrow

stories of stolen children.

of a fixed and finished calamity abates with time; the

sorrow of suspense grows intenser the longer it endures.
If healing be possible, to know the worst begins the

The death of a child, as it is one of the deephuman
our
calamities, has connected with it some

healing.
est of

of God's sweetest solaces, under that law of mercy which

tempers our

The

life

of mystery with

its

compensations.

stealing of a child involves all the sorrows of a

child's death, without the relief of those
first

staunch the bleeding, and at

hopes which
the wound.

last heal

" Let

me fall into the hand of the Lord," said David,
"but let me not fall into the hand of man." The loss of
a child by the hand of God is the child's sure gain, and
may be made ours. He takes it to the infinite purity
and absolute safety of His own presence and, of the
dead child now, we may say with a more assured trust
what was said of a dead child in the gray twilight of
;

the

dawn of

The

child that dies

Revelation, "it

is

well with the child."

we may be with

of a sad contingency vanishes as
loss of a child

and

it

by the hand of man

forever; one-half

passes away.

The

involves treachery

cruelty, the despair of the family, the misery of

the child,

its

rearing in crime and
(9)

shame

for ruin, or

.....

.INTRODUCTION.
:
:..:.••'•.•
:
/: '•.•
less wretched fate
its early death by neglect or vioU)^.

;*:

—

lence.

Among

the saddest of these touching stories,

the most deeply veiled of these mysteries,

is

and mystery of Charles Brewster Ross.
is

among

the story

The

story

already familiar in various degrees of fullness and

accuracy to millions of sympathetic hearts.

The

van-

ished angel of the home, "the frolic and the gentle,"

has given to the firesides of Christendom a household

name, and the children of continents whisper of their
It is a world-wide
little lost brother in their play.
story, every detail of which has been eagerly sought,

and

in enlarging

It is

a people's book, simple, true to

which unscrupulous invention has
found its account. Yet now, for the first time, is it told
with entire accuracy in all its details, by the hand which
has proved itself the most competent to do it justice.
It needs but a glance at the strange, mournful history,
which lies in the hands of the reader, to see that love
and grief have united with the hope long deferred, yet
refusing utterly to die, and have given to the father in
this pathetic chronicle, an inspiration which imparts to
the book a wonderful power.
It is a power which no
merely literary skill or tact could have imparted to it

which heart touches

The writer
pare

it,

life

—a

book

in

heart.

of this Introduction has consented to pre-

because, from the very inception of the work,

he has had such personal and direct opportunities of
knowing the purpose and spirit in which it has been
prepared, as to justify him in expressing the conviction
that

it

merits, in every respect, the cordial reception with

which he

is

confident

it

will

be greeted.

It

has been

1

INTRODUCTION.

1

written In part to meet a strong and general desire for a
full and reliable statement of facts, which are so unique
and full of intense interest, and many of which have been
wholly unknown, or have been very incorrectly or inadequately brought before the public. But more than
by this the father has been moved by the hope that the
wide circulation of the book may help to elicit information which may yet clear up the darkness, and lead to
the finding of the boy; and that it may aid in furnishing
means, which will be sacredly devoted to prosecuting to

the end, a search which will bring to suspense the rapture of a final joy, or the relief of a dreadful mystery
dispelled.

The

trary to his

reader will rejoice that Mr. Ross, con-

modest judgment of

his

own

abilities,

was

induced, by the urgent representation of friends in whose

judgment he confided, to prepare the work himself
This book is a picture of contrasts— the lamb In the
talons of the vulture

—the innocence of childhood the
murder —the hopes and yearnin

iron grasp of calculating

ings of the loving,

and

made

vain

by the savage purpose

fierce resolution of the cruel

them
lifting

all

—the

greed which thwarted

black hand of conspiracy, broken at

by the red hand of vengeance.

It is

fashion of our time to consider crime on

The Novel and

the

forms which hide

its

side.

in

its

part of the

its

romantic

Drama have presented villainy
ugliness

under various masks of daring and

and loathsomeness
skill, and even of

This dangerous tendency has
chivalry and honor.
been met not only by the graver forms of protest and
exposure, but fiction has been used to heal fiction.
Great novelists have attempted to correct the evil by
faithful representations of the unrelieved baseness,

low-

12

INTRODUCTION.

and brutality which are the real marks
who prey upon society,
not with the bold savagery of the lion, but with the
stealthy ferocity of the hyena.
But these well-meant
delineations of crime as it is, have never had any great
practical force.
Either they were too feeble to attract,
too refined for the class they were meant to reach, or
the glow of the genius of the writers threw the perilous
charm of a morbid interest around the very wickedness
ncss, dullness

of most in the criminal classes,

" Catharine,"

they meant to condemn.
*'

Oliver Twist,"

is

this true story of

unmask

not read, and

book for the young. In
Charley Ross, villainy is made to

Nothing

itself.

proaches the

is

a doubtful

in fiction, since

of

realistic vividness

actual character of the villain.

De

Foe, ap-

pictures of the

its

We see

in

it

his coarse-

ness, his prosaic baseness, his brutish greed, his dreary

misery, his thwarted plan, his bloody death.
like a beast,

and

like a beast is killed as

He

lives

he prowls

at

night around the abodes of men.

The young

will see

how

little

of the bad, correspondent with

there

is

in the real life

the shams

and

lies

with which the footlights and the sensational story

who dazzle and lure the young with
examples of crime.
In the letters, so faithfully reproduced in this volume, the criminals reveal their own

invest the knaves,

character with an unmeant

fidelity, in j^ictures to

which

not even the genius of a Shakespeare would be equal

He

could paint the thing with an unrivaled touch;
is the unpainted thing itselfâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;that naked, hu-

but here

man
It

character,

which genius grows great

needs but a

which

this

book

little

in reflecting.

thoughtful pausing on the facts

presents, to realize

how much

the

com-

3

INTRODUCTION.

munity owes to Mr. Ross
efforts to regain

1

for his earnest

and persistent

possession of his child, without acceding

demands of the scoundrels who had stolen him.
recovered his boy by a facile compliance with
their plans, the brilliant and easy success of so great a
crime might have led to a repetition of the same sort
to the

Had he

of atrocious wickedness to a fearful extent.

promptly drawn

One such

would have
awakened the cupidity and sharpened the cunning of
that large class, who are always on the alert to discover
new and hopeful openings for their unscrupulous vilprize, so

in

such a

lottery,

lainy.

The
of

its

vastness of our land, the inaccessible character

recesses in mountain, forest,

marsh and

inlet,

the

ease of rapid passage, the absence of a passport system,

and of other forms of restriction which embarrass the
movements of criminals, would make it one of the most
insecure
fairly

parts of the world,

if

the idea should once

possess the mind of the criminal classes that the

made a remunerative
method of obtaining money. There is not a home of
happy and favored little ones in our land which is not
more secure because of the utter failure of the wickedness which hoped to collect ransom by the abduction
of Charley Ross. The men who did him such cruel
wrong died by violence. The issue of all their cunning
showed them to be miserable fools thwarted, baffled,
and crushed just as success seemed most near. Evading the officials of the law by wonderful adroitness, and
making an accomplice of one of them, exposure and
death met them when they supposed there was nothing
to fear.
The crime which became the occasion of their
abduction of children could be

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

INTRODUCTION.

14

death was urged upon them in part by the necessities
which had grown out of the reluctance of Mr. Ross to

compromise the demands of justice, by yielding at once
to the suggestion of affection- and compounding with
crime. The result, as we see it now, has involved an
awful loss to him the loss of the darling of his home;
but it is a loss which has made thousands of homes
His boy, should he never be recovsafer and happier.

—

ered, will be enrolled

among the Innocents

— the victims

of cruelty in childhood, whose sufferings, because of

were knit up with blessings which
came to others. Closest to Christ, children seem in
large measure ordained
to fill up that which is behind

their tender years,

**

A

of the afflictions of Christ,"

Saviour will

faithful

watch His martyrs. Wherever this little boy may be,
he is not forgotten in the heart of infinite love; not unwatched by the eye that never sleeps. The hand that
has spread the
sequel, but

—

it

it

may be

veil will

will

lift

it.

God

be worthy of Him.

the years

is

reserving the

And

in the

— of suspense which are

the fervent prayers of

many

a Christian

hours

in reserve,

home

for the

desolate household will be mingled with the grateful

recognition of the truth, that the father of this

boy

principle

is

among good men, whose fidelity to
has made their sorrows fruitful for the welfare

entitled to a place

of mankind.

Jtdy nth, i8y6.

C. P. Krauth,
4004 Pine St., Phi la.

AUTHOR'S PREFACE.

ROM

a letter recently written to

tleman of high social and

Germany,

residing in
extract

:

"

Your

I

make

daily experience

me by

the following

must be most

great sorrow overtook you.

markable since this
day will come when the public

a gen

political standing,

will

re-

The

demand, in book

form, a complete history of this most extraordinary
Such a book, containing all letters, testimony,
case.

photographs

etc., etc., will

be of never-failing

interest,

boy should be alive, in
after years, a perusal of such a book might recall his
early experience, and ultimately be the means of his
especially to the young.

restoration.

We

all

If the

know

that stranger things have

happened."

These kind and suggestive words express the same
been frequently advanced by many
other persons who have asked whether, with a view to
publication, I have preserved papers and kept memorandums of what was done in the case of the abduction
of my little son, and of the search for him which has
thus far been vain.
I little imagined, in the early period, the magnitude
which this subject subsequently assumed, and therefore
was not careful to keep a record of many things that
occurred; but the most important events are so forcibly
impressed on my mind, that, with the aid of those imideas that have

(17)

8

author's preface.

1

mediately connected with

most of the

able to recall

my

was not

It

some

definite

me

in the search, I will

be

incidents.

purpose to prepare this history

information had been

until

obtained as to

whether the child was living or dead. But on reflection I have thought the publication of the narrative at
this

time might assist

is still

in

explaining the mystery which

connected with the concealment of the child, or

that possibly, through the perusal of the book,

some one

not familiar with the circumstances might be enabled
to give a

new and

fortunate direction to the search, or

perhaps that the child himself, seeing the illustrations
of once familiar scenes, or learning from some incident
herein related something to suggest early recollections,

might be led to his home.
Another object in issuing the book now
obtaining the means to enable

me

is

that of

to continue a search

abandoned until the child is found alive,
certainly proven to us.
Scarcely a day passes even now without receiving information supposed to be in some way connected with

that cannot be

or his death

is

the matter, or without hearing of suspicious persons

some

who

on the mystery, or of
children in different parts of the country thought to be
my little boy. To examine into everything brought to
my notice gives me almost constant employment, and
is attended with great expense of both time and money.

possibly could shed

There

is

light

connected with the abduction, the search,

the tragic death of the abductors, the finding of lost

which it is proper the
know; and the simple facts as they

children, a great deal of interest

public

should

occurred are grouped together

in

the narrative, with

AUTHORS PREFACE.

I9

regard* to exactness rather than with any attempt at

embellishment.

Other children have been lost and in some instances
and not restored to their parents for long
years, and sometimes have never been heard of; and
the interest awakened in their behalf and that of their
distressed parents has been confined to their immediate
carried away,

friends

and acquaintances.

In

the present instance,

however, the motive actuating the kidnappers, and the
terrible threats made through anonymous letters, aroused
the indignation of every one against the criminals

who

had so cruelly taken an innocent child, and placed his
life in jeopardy to procure a ransom from the parents
they had so inhumanly robbed.
The public interest which has been so universally

my little son, and
whenever a rumor is
circulated appearing to relate, however remotely, to the
dark secret, is due to the fact that a new crime was
attempted to be inaugurated in our country, and to the
insecurity felt by every family for their own children, lest
they should meet a loss similar to that which has befallen
our own. The feeling is everywhere spread over our
own country; it has extended to Europe and to South
America, as shown in the many letters received and as
manifested since the abduction of

which ever and anon shows

itself

;

I

am

credibly informed, has reached the furthermost

parts of Asia.

extorting

Kidnapping a child

money

for his release,

for the purpose of
and holding his life

contingent on the payment of the ransom,

is

a crime that no apprehensions were

that

ever be perpetrated

among

us.

No

felt

so atrocious
it

would

laws are found in

the books of any State which anticipated the commis-

AUTHORS PREFACE.

20

was any punish
commensurate
with its heinousness.
ment provided
The Legislatures of a few States however have, since its
commission, taken action on the matter, and passed
acts defining the crime, and affixing severe penalties for
sion of SO unnatural an offense, nor

its

perpetration hereafter.

A

ransom is a sum of money fixed by the kidnappers,
and hence is entirely different from a reward offered by
a parent or a friend for the return of the stolen one.
In the one case the sufferer has no choice, but must

accede to the demands of the villains or accept the
consequences.

In the other he

makes a voluntary

offer for the return of the child.

When

it

became known

to the public that the object

of the kidnappers in stealing the child was to exact a

sum

money from

him
and popular sentiment demanded the immediate stamping out
of this species of crime, by securing the arrest and by
administering summary and fitting punishment to the
Fully appreciating the danger
heartless criminals.
large

of

the parents before giving

up, a thrill of horror ran through the nation,

which might

result

to

society should

prove successful in their

first

the brigands

infamous experiment,

the case was placed in the hands of the police authorities

of the city to

work up as was deemed best, with
I would never consent to com-

the understanding that

pound the crime, preferring to wait and suffer in the
hope of securing the criminals with the child. The
terrible anguish caused by this long suspense, to which
the knowledge of the child's death would be a relief, it
is

impossible to describe.

Our

fears,

hopes and aims have centered

for the past

AUTHORS PREFACE.

21

two years upon the recovery of Charley, and unraveling the mystery connected with his long concealment.
Forgetting all other troubles and laying aside all other
cares, our time, energies and means have been devoted
to these objects, and we should be an unfaithful and
unnatural parent, did

we

relinquish the search without

whole matter.
and continued concealment
of the unfortunate child have caused the name of
Charley Ross to be known in almost every household and in a measure he has become the child of
Many prayers have been offered up for
the people.
his restoration, and many homes would be glad to
know that he has been recovered.
recent article in the Mothers' Magazine forcibly

arriving at a satisfactory solution of the

The

successful abduction

;

A

demonstrates this feeling, and by permission of the

author
"

I avail

myself of an extract from

Events of startling

into the past

it.

moment have been crowded

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

two years revolutions, revulsions, catasand disorders, for which, in general,

trophes, crimes

men must be

held

accountable,

while

some are

seemingly due to what we denominate chance or accident.
Of them, all the larger part are now looked at
with that indifference which belongs to things bygone,
retaining only a slight hold on public attention

many

,

and

of them, in the rush of present affairs or newer

emergencies, are well nigh buried in oblivion.

The

edge of sharp surprises soon wears off. Those who
have been for a while stunned, when they are able to
go about their business forget the blow.
Partial
whatever sort, do not long trouble those
untouched by them. If severe or of wide extent, recu-

calamities, of

22

may

peration

be speedy; but

are acquiesced

in.

if

remedy, they

past

Yet, while matters lately regarded

as of prime importance are scarcely referred to, and

loomed up largely have
and whereabouts of a
continue to awaken an absorb-

of those which

multitudes

shrunken out of

sight, the

child four years of age,

fate

ing and universal anxiety.

The name of Charley Ross

**

household.

His form,

is

familiar to every-

his pretty features, his curling

winsome expression, known to us by picwould be recognized at a glance
he could anywhere be met outside of his secret hid-

locks, Jiis

tures and photographs,
if

ing place

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;the

little

absent pet, for

whom

so

many

What

parent

prayers continually ascend.

"What

mother's heart

is

not touched?

does not feel almost as though the sorrow were his own?
And what citizen is not affrighted at such a precedent
of

new and heinous

outrage, and the inefficiency of

laws?

"A

profound and painful mystery attaches to this

case of cruel abduction, from whatever stand-point

it

is

whether as to the instrumentalities of men or
providence
of God. That this, with other dark and
a
hidden things, will one day be brought to light, and in
looked

at,

the overrulings of Almighty God,
signs of His be traced through

of sinister devices,

The

act

itself

we

may

all

some merciful dethe web and woof

fondly hope and certainly believe.
well

be called

a 'mystery of

iniquity' transcending, if possible, in peculiar baseness,
in cold

and calculating

villainy, the

very highest types

of crime.
"

We

have been wont to think that there

is

in the

AUTHOR S PREFACE.

2$

most abandoned natures some human feeling, some
by an appealing

capability of remorse, of being touched
pity.

These men had no bowels of mercy in them the
eclipse of goodness was complete, their depravity black
as Egyptian night, and total.
Dragging their innocent prey from his own sweet home into their polluted
den, they contrived how to guard themselves at every
Almost preferpoint, and traffic on parental anguish.
able were it, within our civilized bounds, to have wild
beasts again at large, against which the arts and wiles of
"

;

men can
in human

defend themselves, rather than savage beasts
shape, setting at naught their pursurers.

Few

criminal secrets are so inscrutable as to bid defiance to
well-directed and resolute researches.
Murder it has
been truly said, " will out," and by the corrosive nature

of guilt gnaws

its

own way

to

open exposure.

The

from time to time unearthed,
made; while this looks like the very

spoils of the robber are

and restitution is
triumph of wickedness, as the most precious of all
stolen treasures remains hidden, and the lost is not
found.

"The

police of cities, the ingenious plans of experts

and detectives
rewards

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

all

in

combined with a keen sympathy
humane on the alert, have so
only in disappointment, and in hope

which has put
far

resulted

every quarter, the stimulus of large,

these,
all

the

deferred,
" Is the fate of

Charley Ross to be despaired of?
Not by the help of God, if every parent who loves his
child, if the whole motherhood everywhere, is silently
pledged to join in and renew the search."

CHAPTER

I.

THE ABDUCTION.

EARLY two years

have passed away since my
two children were taken from Germantown,
Pa., in which place they were both born, and

where I have resided about ten years. Germantown is
a suburb of Philadelphia and within its corporate limits.
My residence is on East Washington Lane, about
seven miles from the centre of the

city.

The Lane

begins at Main Street and runs in a north-easterly
direction.

The

distance from the

Chestnut Hill R. R. station

On

is

main

street to the

about half a mile.

both sides of the Lane, between these two points,

are a

number of very handsome

some

distance from the roadway, and having well-kept

lawns

residences, all set

planted with trees and shrubbery.

in front,

back

The

houses have from one to ten acres of ground attached
to them,

and

all

have kitchens, gardens and stables in

the rear.

My

on the north side of the lane, the eighth
and the second from the Chestnut
Hill R. R. station it is a double house built of stone,
two stories in height, and surmounted by a cupola; it has
back buildings, and a piazza built upon three of its sides.
It stands on rising ground, about fifty feet from the
road; the lawn is ornamented with evergreens and
other trees.
Between this house and the nearest one
house

is

from the Main

street,
;

2

(25)

CHARLEY

26
on the west
in

extent

large

;

is

an unoccupied

field

of about three acres

along the line of the road are a

in this field

number of

ROSS.

and small bushes, which grow

trees

very close together and completely shut out the view
of the road from any one looking diagonally in that

house or from that of my
neighbors on the other side of the field. It was between
these two houses and opposite the open field, that the
direction, either

from

my

abductors carried on their conversation with the children

when they

On

enticed

them

wagon.
two eldest children,

into the

Friday, June 26th, 1874,

my

Stoughton and Harry, left their home early in the
morning to spend their summer vacation with their
grandmother in Middletown, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.

On
with

same day

the

my

wife,

being out of health, went

our eldest daughter, Sophia, to Atlantic City,

intending to remain several weeks.

home

Before leaving

she said to Walter and Charley that at the end

of two weeks she would send Sophia home, and they

should come down to her.

This proposed

seashore was looked forward

much

pleasure;

abductors,

and

Charley

should not get

in
is

home

to,

visit to

the

by both the boys, with

two of the

letters

from the

represented as fretting lest he
in

time to join his mother at

Atlantic City.

The members
in

of the family remaining at

addition to myself, Walter Lewis,

home

were,

Charles Brew-

ster, Marian Kimball and Annie Christine Ross, our

youngest
gardener.

and Sarah Kerr, who took care
Mary, the cook, and Thomas Foley,

child, Bridget

of the children,

THE ABDUCTION.

On

2/

Saturday, June 27th, about half past four o'clock

in the afternoon, while sitting alone

in

the

nursery,

Walter came up- to me and said that a man in a wagon
had given Charley and himself some candy. The piece
he had in his hands was white and plaited, about four
inches long.
Walter said Charley did not want his

and that he was keeping it for him.
if he knew who the man was, and if he
had asked for the candy. He replied " No sir," and
then went away, cautioned by me not to ask strangers
for anything.
The only thought that occurred to me
about the matter was, that some one fond of children
had, as an act of kindness, given the candy to the boys,
and the impression on my mind was rather a pleasant

just then,
I

asked him

one.
I

heard no more of the

man who had

candy, and nothing unusual occurred that
of until

Wednesday

evening, July

ing of that day the children asked

given them
I

On

1st.

was aware
the morn-

me for money to buy

Fourth of July. I told them I
them, and be with them on the 4th;

fire-crackers for the

would get some for
I was afraid they would set fire to the house or
Their minds seemed set on having
stable if alone.
them at once, and to please them I told them I would
send home a cart load of sea-shore sand in which they
could play on the Fourth of July, and they could fire

that

their crackers in

the children,

I

it.

came

In order to
to

fulfil

my

promise to

Germantown on July

1st earlier

home

before six

than usual, bought the sand, and got
o'clock.

Not seeing the

little

boys,

I

inquired of one of the

servants where they were, and was told that since their

28

CHARLEY

bath, they

ROSS.

had been playing on the sidewalk

in front

of the house, with the children of Mr. McDowell, our
nearest neighbor.
I went to the gate, but could not see
them; thinking, however, that they must be somewhere
in the neighborhood, I felt no uneasiness until tea-time,
when I again looked and called for them but not being
able to see them, and getting no response, I sent to look
for them, but they were not to be found.
I now became
very anxious, and sent the girls to every house in the
neighborhood where they might chance to be, and finally
started myself in a different direction to look for them.
But I was not successful in learning anything of the
boys, and was returning to the house, not a little worried, but believing there was still no serious cause for
alarm, when as I was passing Mrs. Kidder's house on
the other side of tlie unoccupied field referred to Miss
Mary Kidder called to me and asked whether I supposed the boys would be likely to take a ride with
strangers.
I replied that they would be very likely to
do so if asked. She then said she believed Walter and
Charley had gone away with two men in a wagon
for she heard them talking to some men beyond the
bushes, and next saw them pass her house in a wagon
with two men.
This intelligence greatly alarmed me, and when I
reached home, finding that the children had not re;

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

;

turned,

the

I

started immediately for the Police Station in

Town

Hall, for the purpose of telegraphing to the

Central Office in the city, to inquire whether they had

been brought into any of the Station-houses. Mr. Walter Kidder joined me, and before we arrived at the top
of the

hill

on our way towards the Main

street,

we saw

THE ABDUCTION.

29

Walter in charge of a man coming toward us. This
was about eight o'clock in the evening.
When we joined them, I asked Walter where he had
been.
The child was so much frightened that he could
not reply. Mr. Peacock, with whom he was, answered
for him, that he had found him in Kensington, one of
the northern districts of Philadelphia, on the corner of
Palmer and Richmond streets.
I then asked Walter where Charley was.
He answered, " Why, he is all right; he is in the wagon," supposing that he himself was the lost one, and not doubting that Charley would be brought back. Mr. Peacock
then said that Walter had not spoken anything about
his brother on his way home.
The case had now assumed a very serious aspect,
and I was utterly at a loss to know what to do. That
Charley was lost was certain. Every effort to find him,
with as little delay as possible, was my first duty.
Sending Walter home, Mr. Kidder and I hastened
on to the Police Telegraph Office, and sent a message
to Philadelphia, inquiring whether a child of Charley's
description (briefly giving it) had been brought to any
of the District Station-houses. In about half an hour
a reply was received, that no such child had been
found.

We

now

turned toward home, after being instructed

to inquire for Captain

tion

in

Heins

at the Central Police Sta-

On my way to the station I
house of Mr. Joseph W. Lewis, my wife's

Philadelphia.

stopped at the

where I was going and
nephew, Frank D. Lewis,

brother, and told the family

what

my

errand was.

My

volunteered to go with me.

CFIARLEY ROSS.

30

was nearly eleven o'clock when we reached the

It

Central Police Station at Fifth and Chestnut streets.
Capt. Heins had just gone home, and Detective Joyce

was

in

charge of the

We

office for the night.

who

told our

seemed to him
like a drunken frolic, and that the men would either
take Charley home, or put him out of the wagon where
he would be picked up by some of the patrolmen durstory to Mr. Joyce,

replied that

it

ing the night.

This theory was not satisfactory to

mined to go

directly to Kensington.

us,

and we deterFirst

to the District Station-house nearest the

we went

spot where

Walter was found, and made inquiry of the officers on
They however had seen nothing of Charley,
and had heard nothing of the loss of the children. Our
next inquiry was for Mr. Peacock's residence in Euston
duty.

Arousing him, we asked if he had heard anyCharley (I had requested him to make inquiry for the missing boy after he got home from Germantown.)
He said he had learned nothing, and
directed us to the corner where Walter had been put
out of the wagon.
After walking about the district several hours, inquiring at many points and failing to get any information, we concluded to return home.
It was now about
Street.

thing of

;

three o'clock in the

ceased running, and

morning. The street cars had
we were unable to get any one at

the livery stables to send us home, or even believe our
story.

There seemed no

alternaJtive

but to walk

;

the

Soon we reached Germantown Avenue, the most direct road to our homes and
distance

is

about six miles.

;

after

walking about a mile, we fortunately found a

1

THE ABDUCTION.

3

livery stable open,

and procured conveyance to Ger-

mantown.
It was nearly

o'clock in the

five

morning of July 2d
Nothing had

when we reached Washington Lane.

there been learned of the object of our search.

I

slept

none, had no appetite, was unnerved, and anything but

work

was before me.
I awakened Walter,
and refrained from saying anything to him about his
adventure of the preceding day until he had his breakfast.
He was pale and nervous, not having wholly reI took him to his Uncle
covered from his fright.
house,
where
he was thoroughly quesLewis's
Joseph
the
carrying
away of himself
tioned on the matter of
and his brother Charley.
The story that Walter told was, that two men driving on the Lane in a buggy had given him and his
brother Charley candy on Saturday, June 27th; Monday, June 29th Tuesday, June 30th and Wednesday,
July 1st; and that Charley had asked them for a
ride, and also whether they would not buy him firecrackers, which they promised to do.
After driving to
the top of the hill, they turned around and took them
into the wagon.
Walter asked them to go to the Main
fitted for

the day's

At about

that

half past seven o'clock

;

street to

men

get the fire-crackers.

said "

fictitio.us

;

No we
;

person),

a pocket-full for

will

who keeps
five

To

this

take you to

cents."

request the

Aunt

Susie's, (a

a store, and will give you

He

said

Charley was

placed on the seat between the men, and he sat on the

knee of the one who was not driving.
said

He

also said

men talked to them as they drove along, but
more to Charley than to him that they did not

that the

;

CHARLEY

32

ROSS.

remembered
was that the one on whose knee he sat
took off his hat, and showing it to his companion remarked that it was about worn out, and he would have
talk

much

to each other; about all he

their saying,

to get another one.

This

man

"Slower, slower," or "Faster,
ascending or descending a

candy as they went along.
After they had gone some

hill.

also said to the driver
faster,"

as

they were

The men gave them

distance,

Charley began to

and begged to be taken home; he was pacified by
being told they would soon be at Aunt Susie's. On
reaching Palmer and Richmond streets, Walter was
given twenty-five cents, and directed to a cigar store
next to the comer, where fire-works were displayed in
the window, and told to get fire-crackers for himself, and torpedoes for Charley.
When he reached
home he had two packages of fire-crackers and one
package of small torpedoes in his hands, and four cents
cry,

change in his pocket.
While Walter was in the
buying the crackers and torpedoes, the men drove
off, taking Charley with them; and when he came out
he looked up and down the street and around the cor-

in

store

but could see nothing of the horse and wagon, the
men, or his little brother. Finding himself deserted,
he cried loudly; a crowd soon gathered around him,
and one of the number was Mr. Henry G. Peacock, who
brought him home.
Walter's story of this part of the transaction was
confirmed by a little girl who saw the men give
him the money and direct him to the cigar store.
She also saw them drive up Palmer street to the first
small street and turn the corner, and disappear in an

ner,

THE ABDUCTION.
easterly direction, before

the

first

person

who

33

She was
him when he

Walter returned.

attempted to pacify

Walter amongst other things stated that
the men had a bottle on the seat of the wagon, and that
at two different places they put him out of the wagon
to get some water; when he handed them the cup, they

began to

cry.

poured some liquor into the water and drank.
After concluding our examination of the boy on these
points, we asked him what kind of looking men they
were? The driver he described as being of medium
size,

about

and red
beard

;

my

height

in the face,

(five feet

nine inches), rather

full

with red or sandy mustache, and no

he wore eye-glasses, and had an open-faced gold

watch, gold vest chain and green sleeve buttons.

The

other

man was

He had

driver.

older, taller

and heavier than the

whiskers about three inches long, of a

red or sandy color, and a nose which was turned up or
in some way deformed; he wore gold-bowed spectacles,
and two gold rings on one of his middle fingers one

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

with a red stone.

plain, the other set

The horse was
brown

of a

medium size, of a dark bay or
mark on his forehead. The

color, with a white

harness was old, and the silver plating of the mountings pretty well

worn

The wagon was a

off.

rather

old

falling-top

buggy,

painted a dark color, with red stripes on the wheels,

and lined with blue
one torn and dirty.

At

There were two lap covers,

the time of the abduction Walter was nearly six

years old

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;having been born Oct.

He was of
1 2th, 1 868.
had light brown hair. Charley was
4th, 1 870, and was about four years and two

rather slight build,

born

cloth.

May
2*

;

CHARLEY

34

ROSS.

months old when he was stolen. His body and limbs
were straight and well-formed; his face round and full;
his chin small, with a noticeable dimple his hands veryregular and prettily dimpled small, well-formed neck
;

;

full,

broad forehead

;

bright, dark

siderable fullness over

complexion

;

them

;

brown

eyes, with con-

white skin

clear,

;

healthy

light flaxen hair of a silky texture, easily

curled in ringlets

when extending

to the neck

darker at the roots, a slight cowlick on the

;

hair

left

side

was parted; very light eyebrows. He talked
plainly, but was shy and retiring, and had a habit of
putting his arm up to his eyes when approached by
He had no marks upon his person, except
strangers.

when

it

those of vaccination.

Charley was a depending, confiding child, and very
sensitive a word spoken harshly to him would cause
his eyes to fill, and the tears to slowly trickle down
;

He

his cheeks.

rarely cried aloud,

and as soon as any

evidence of forgiveness was manifested, was quick to
it, and would hasten to be caressed.
In consequence of his confiding disposition, he was the fa-

perceive

and nothing would please
them more than to get the consent of their mother to
allow Charley to sleep with them. Anything they
could do to please him, was readily, cheerfully and lovingly done.
He seemed to know and feel that as soon
from school, they would gladly join
they
returned
as
with him in any play he desired; and generally he was
on the lookout for them, when the hour for their return

vorite of his older brothers

;

approached.

He had
was

full

a good constitution, and

of flesh and in good health

sick after he

was

six

months

old.

when taken away

窶馬ever having been

THE ABDUCTION.

35

Having obtained from my son Walter all he could
my nephew and I drove to the Central Police
Office in the city, and inquired if there was any news
of the missing child. Nothing had been heard of him.
Detective Wood and several other officers of this branch
tell,

of the police department were then informed of

knew concerning

the taking

away of the

all

we

children, the

return of Walter, and the continued absence of Charley,
all the facts which we had obtained from
Their impressions were that the men had
taken the children while under the influence of Hquor,

together with

Walter.

and

after regaining their senses,

were alarmed at what

they had done, and were afraid to take Charley home,
but would turn him adrift during the day. They advised
us to go to Kensington and

make

inquiry for him.

Officer Joyce volunteered to assist us in the search.

Permission was granted Mr. Peacock by his employers

accompany us.
Our first inquiry was at the District Station-house
where we had inquired the previous night. We were
informed there that nothing had been reported by the
to

night patrol, and instructions had been given to the day
officers to

keep a lookout

Inquiry was then

made

for the child.

of the people residing in the

neighborhood of Palmer and Richmond streets, to find
a trace if possible of the men, the horse and wagon,
and of the direction they went after leaving Walter out
of the

wagon

;

but no one was found

them, except the

little

girl before

who had seen
who saw

mentioned,

Walter leave the wagon.

The

proprietor of the store recollected that a

had bought

fire-crackers

boy

and torpedoes the previous

CHARLEY

36

him

afternoon; but supposing
in the

at

see the horse and

Officer Joyce

Shackamaxon

made

Street

;

belonging

to be a child

neighborhood, had not observed him

and did not
pants.

ROSS.

particularly,

wagon with

the occu-

inquiries of the ferry master

but he did not recollect see-

ing the described party passing through the gates of
the ferry.
Baffled in

all

our

efforts to gain information

we supposed we should
that

would

where

certainly discover something

aid us in tracing the child,

we

left

Mr. Pea-

cock with several police officers to continue the search
through the district, and determined to drive home
over the route usually taken in going from Kensington
to

Washington Lane, making

inquiries at livery stables,

feed stores, taverns and watering places, wherever

we

supposed persons might have been congregated who
would be likely to observe vehicles passing, or wherever there was a probability of a horse and

ing hired.

This

we

did,

wagon

and found no one

be-

who had

men and children, or had hired out a horse
and wagon of the description on any of the days upon
which the men were on Washington Lane. We then
concluded that the abductors had taken a different
route, and resolved after we arrived home to get a fresh
horse, and take Walter with us to point out the roads
and streets the men had driven over the day before.
With Walter as our guide, we started from Washington Lane about three o'clock the same afternoon, telling
him to point out to us the road taken by the men on
the previous day. Following his directions, we went
up Washington Lane to Limekiln Turnpike, along the
pike to a small street leading to Church Lane, down
seen the

THE ABDUCTION.

3/

Church Lane to Hancock Street, down Hancock Street
Shoemaker Lane, thence to Wakefield Street, thence
to Fisher's Lane, thence to Broad Street, thence to
Cayuga Street (a small street north of the Reading
Railroad Bridge), thence to Old York Road, thence to
Germantown Avenue, thence to Lehigh Avenue, thence
to Second Street, thence to Thompson Street, thence
to Frankford Road, thence to Girard Avenue, thence
to

Shackamaxon

to

Street,

thence to

Richmond

Street,

thence to Palmer Street, and North along Palmer Street
to the place

The

where Walter was

left

by the abductors.

route was a tortuous one, evidently selected for

the purpose of baffling, the abductors never supposing

would be able to remember
He showed great
powers of observation, and although he knew the
names of no streets or roads after leaving the Limekiln
Turnpike, yet he had certain landmarks fixed in his
mind, which he recognized immediately, and directed
that a child of Walter's age
all

its

twistings

and

turnings.

our course without a mistake.

We tested

his

memory

more than one point, but found him always correct.
Several more prominent objects, as a pump at which

at

the

men

stopped to get a drink, the different bridges,

and the Kensington Water Works, were named and
described before they were in sight. The correctness
of the route was further verified by the statement of
different parties of men who were working on the road,

who

told us that a

little

while before six o'clock on

July 1st they had seen the wagon, with the two

and children

in

it,

pass by.

The

miles in length, and that Walter should have

bered

it

men

route was about eight

remem-

so accurately was very remarkable, as he had

CHARLEY

38
never been over

knew

it

before.

ROSS.

We

plied that he

how he
He re

asked him

the names of the places, bridges,

etc.

had inquired of the men as they passed

them.

While driving along, Walter said that the man on
whose knee he sat had remarked that he was a farmer,
and owned a lot of ground which we would soon reach,
and when we approached it he pointed it out to us.

We

inquired at the adjoining house for the owner.
His name was given, with the information that he was
not at home. The person of whom we were making

where he was, but said he had
and did not return until the
morning of the 2d. When pressed very closely where
he could be found, we were told, probably at a tavern
not far distant, as he had been absent for several days.
Now we concluded we certainly had some information
of value, as circumstances looked suspicious, and accorded with the theory that the abduction had been accomplished during a drunken frolic. On reaching the
tavern, a boy told us we would find the object of our
inquiries could not say

been to ride

July

ist,

search in a shed, pointing to a building which proved

My

to be a cow-shed.

nephew

to the wagon,

and asked Walter

man

He

before.

replied, no.

finding
if

him

led

him

he had ever seen the

After questioning him

as to where he had been, and his answers being con-

firmed by the boy and a
at the place,

we were

taking the children.

man who were

satisfied that

(We

in attendance

he was not guilty of

tried to explain to

him why

he had been disturbed but he seemed not to
what was said, and regarded it rather as a joke.)
;

Disappointed in our

first

realize

day's efforts to discover any-

;

:

THE ABDUCTION.

39

thing, either along the route traveled

by the abductors,
or in the neighborhood where the elder of the two

boys had been abandoned, shortly after five o'clock
we drove to the Central Station, and nothing having
been heard there, we prepared the first advertisement,

which appeared

in

the Public Ledger of the 3d of

July, as follows
Lost,

on the

first

instant,

a small boy about four years of age, light

complexion, and light curly hair,

A

suitable

reward will be paid on his

return to E. L. Joyce, Central Station, corner of 5th

The

reason for using officer Joyce's

my own

in

and Chestnut

name

streets.

instead of

the advertisement was to conceal the loss

from Mrs. Ross; for I hoped that the child would be recovered before she would hear of his having been taken
away. Before leaving the Central Station for home,

me in case any
was obtained. A storm soon came up
we stabled our horse, and returned home on the seven
arrangements were made to telegraph
intelligence

o'clock train.

By this time the news of the loss became known to
many of my neighbors and friends, and during the

my house and expressed
warmest sympathy, and endeavored to encourage
me with the hope that the child would certainly be
Their
restored as soon as the advertisement appeared.
opinions seemed to be that he had been retained with

evening a number called at
their

the expectation of seeing a reward offered for restoring

him.

Many

persons offered their services,

if

required,

Their judgment and
in any way I might suggest.
kind expressions of sympathy encouraged me with the
hope that the following day would be more favorable
in its results than the preceding one had been.

CHARLEY

40

ROSS.

my nephew and I called
Samuel Johnson, who had been reported by
one of my visitors on the previous evening as having
On

the morning of July 3d,

to see Mr.

seen the

men

give the children candy.

Mr. Johnson's

wagon agreed in all essential points with that of Walter.
The men impressed
him with the idea that they were farmers but he was
not near enough to distinguish their features.
description of the horse and

;

We

went immediately from Mr. Johnson to the Cenwhere we saw Mayor Stokely, District At-

tral Station,

Wm.

torney

B.

Mann, Chief of Police Jones, Alderman

Carpenter and Captain Heins, with a number of detectives,

and again related

all

that

was known of the

abduction of the children, with a description of the
horse and wagon and men, as given by Mr. Johnson

and Walter, together with the route that was taken to
reach the corner of Palmer and Richmond streets.
While I was conversing with the Mayor and others,
the Chief of Police requested

my nephew

to state to

the Lieutenants of Police of the various Districts everything he

knew about

the matter.

Shortly after

I

was

and asked if I had any suggestion to offer. I
replied that I thought a diligent search for the horse
and wagon should be made, as I believed that if they
called

in,

could be traced the mystery would be cleared up.
Chief Jones immediately instructed the Lieutenants to
detail a sufficient

each

district

number of men

to visit

blacksmith shop, and

in citizen's dress in

and examine every livery stable,
all other places where there was

a possibility of the horse being hired or kept, and to
direct all their respective officers at the next roll-call to

keep a
to

strict

make

watch on

all

suspicious persons, as well as

inquiries for the child.

:

4I

THE ABDUCTION.
I

was then subjected

detectives, to find out

prompted the

act.

if

by the
what motive could have

to a close questioning

possible

Inquiry was directed to the follow-

many other points
Were there any difficulties in my family relaTo this I unhesitatingly answered, none whattions ?
ever. Second, What servants were now in my employ ?
I gave the names, and related, so far as I was able, how
ing, beside
First,

they were obtained, and expressed
not in the conspiracy.

Third,

my

What

belief they

servants,

were
male

and female, had been discharged from my employ?
The names were given^ and they were subsequently
traced.
(The detectives, after a thorough investigation,
were satisfied that they were not implicated in the matter.)
Fourth, Did I suppose that any of my creditors

would be likely to do an act of this kind ? To this
query I emphatically replied in the negative. Fifth,
Had I ever had a disagreement with any one, which
would likely cause such an act to be done out of revengeful motives ? I declared that I bore no ill-will to
any living person, and certainly knew of no one who
had any enmity against me, for I had never given cause
Sixth, Had I served on a jury
for any such feeling.
I answered, on
that had convicted any one of crime ?
(The person so convicted was
one case years ago.
hunted up and cleared himself of any complicity in the
case.)

The
motive

detectives declared there
for the act,

surmise what

it

and were

could be.

must have been some

utterrly at a loss to even
I

said I

was

at as

great a

loss as they possibly could be; that since the occur-

rence

I

had thought the matter over

in all its bearings,

CHARLEY

42

and was unable

ROSS.

any reason why

to divine

my

child

should have been stolen.
After some further conversation,
Officer Joyce that
fore

many

I

it was suggested by
would get an anonymous letter be-

days, revealing something in relation to the

This was merely a guess on his part

mystery.

;

but

it

proved to be a shrewd one, and the correctness of his
surmise was demonstrated shortly after.
In the afternoon Detectives Wood and Joyce, with

my

brother Joseph, went over the route, taking Walter

for their guide.

tonishment
in

which

On

returning, they expressed their as-

at the boy's

all

wonderful

memory of localities,
They again ques-

the officers concurred.

tioned the ferry master at

Shackamaxon

the party crossing the river

;

street

about

but he remained firm in

the belief that they did not go over the river at that
ferry.

tion in

In the meantime

remained at the Central Staconference with the detectives, especially with

Capt. Heins,

who

plied

I

me

with questions, endeavoring

to find a motive for the abduction.

During the afternoon information was received
through Frances Ducass^s, a man in the employ of Mr.
A. H. DeHaven, that a band of gipsies, who had been
encamped not far from Washington Lane, had broken
camp, and were then passing down Germantown AvePersons along the route over which these people
nue.
had traveled, stated that m one of their wagons was a
child who was crying bitterly, and who they suspected
Measures were immediately
did not belong to them.
search
for
them. Instructions were
taken to institute a
telegraphed to

all

the Police Stations for the officers to

inquire the route taken

by the

gipsies,

and to report to

THE ABDUCTION.
the Central Station.

About

43

ten o'clock at night

it

was

reported from the Sixteenth District that a party of gipsies

were about encamping

Fifty-fifth

On

and Walnut

in

a

wood

in the vicinity of

streets.

receipt of this intelligence, three officers with

brother Joseph (to identify the child

if

found)

left

my
the

Central Office for the Sixteenth District Station-house.

The Lieutenant

of the Sixteenth Police District joined in

the search for the gipsies, who, after considerable trouble, (for

the night was very dark,) were found encamped

The party consisted of two men
and several women, some of whom were quite young.
They had with them a number of fine horses and two
wagons. The men had been fighting, and one of them
was badly cut in the face. As soon as the officers
in

a secluded spot.

reached the spot, one of the
â&#x20AC;˘

men

loudly protested

against being molested, and threatened to

shoot any
one who should attempt to disturb his party; but he
was soon convinced that the intruders in his camp were
not to be trifled with. On being questioned, he admitted that they had passed down Germantown Avenue

during the afternoon, but declared that they had no
small child with them.

Notwithstanding his assertion,

without further delay, a thorough search was begun.

The

wagons were overhauled, chests
if any
children's clothing was in them.
Neither child nor
children's clothing was found; but the officers found a
lot of stuff, such as laces, watches and pistols, which
contents of the

were opened, and

their contents taken out to see

were in all probability not legitimately obtained. The
two men were taken to the Station-house and detained
until morning; and nothing being discovered to connect

CHARLEY

44
them with the

ROSS.

stealing of the

child,

they were dis-

charged.

My

nephew and

remained

I

at the Central Station

anxiously awaiting news from the searching party.
of the time

we

Part

spent in writing the second advcrtisment,

offering a reward of three

hundred dollars

for the return

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;having

Rufus Walborn to

made arrangements with Mr.
have Charley brought to his place

of business, No.

North 6th

of the child

person

who had

5

to claim the reward.

many

;

it

inserted in

him

in as

but owing to the lateness of

some had gone

able to have

the event of the

This advertisement was put

papers as possible

the hour,

street, in

stolen or found the child bringing

to press,
all

and we were not

that appeared on the fol-

lowing morning, the 4th of July.
$300 reward
street,

will

be paid to the person returning to No. 5 North Sixth

a small boy, four years old, having long, curly flaxen hair, hazel

eyes, clear, light skin

short skirt,
lost

and round

face, dressed in a

brown

broad-brimmed straw hat and laced shoes.

from Germantown on Wednesday afternoon

linen suit, with

This child was

(ist instant)

between

four and five o'clock.

My name was not put to this advertisement, for the
same reason that it did not appear in the first one; viz.,
because I did not wish Mrs. Ross to know that the
child was lost.
About three o'clock on the morning of the 4th of July,
we went to get our horse with the intention of driving
home, but were unable to arouse any one at the stable,
and were compelled to return to the Station-house, and
passed the remainder of the night in talking over the
mystery connected with the loss of Charley. About
four o'clock

my nephew

was persuaded

to

go home,

THE ABDUCTION.
while

remained

I

in the city, to

be on hand

45
in the event

of any one appearing at an early hour with the child,
at

No.

Up

5

North 6th

street.

was thought by all that some one
might have picked up the boy, and was waiting to see
a reward offered before returning him. No one had
any idea at this time of the real nature of the abduction, and no one was prepared for the startling revelations

to this time

it

which were soon afterwards made by the abductors.

Nursery

in Charley's

Home.

CHAPTER

II.

THE FIRST LETTER FROM THE ABDUCTORS, AND
NING OF THE SEARCH BY THE POLICE.

JFTER

awaiting the result of

my

bisGIN-

advertisement

No.

5 North Sixth Street from an early
hour of the morning of the 4th of July until

at

about nine o'clock,
Office

dispirited

reached there when
into the

room,

in

by the missive he
it!"

He

I

returned to the Central Police

and disappointed.

my

Scarcely had

I

brother Joseph came hurriedly

a state of excitement fully warranted
bore, exclaiming, "

I

have

it

!

I

have

held in his hand a letter partially opened,

which he passed to me. Upon the envelope was writa hand ever afterward distinguishable at a glance,
my full name and address. Its postmark was Philadelphia, July the 3d, eight A. M.
In a moment all present eagerly gathered around
me, whilst I deciphered the terrible communication.
Captain Hcins took possession of the letter as soon as
I had jead it, and invited me, with a few of my friends
and several detective officers, into a private room. The
So overwhelming was the
letter was then read aloud.
astonishment and indignation that for a time every one
was silent. Then followed varied expressions of horror, as each one realized that there existed a human
being capable of committing an act so cruel, so full of
ten, in

unspeakable torment to

its

victims, as that of child-

;

FIRST LETTER FROM
Stealing.

The

THE ABDUCTORS.

4/

disguised writing, the evident effort at

bad speUing, the absence of any signature, and the revelation of the fact that my child had been taken away
money, indicated that the wretch who designed the
plot had carefully prepared to guard himself and his
The officers were of
vile accomplices from detection.
for

the opinion that the abductors could not withhold oi

conceal the child

The
relief.

first

many

days.

my own

shock over,

The suspense

feelings

were those of

of the past three days and nights,

utterly blank and fruitless as they had been, yielding
no ray of light upon the fate of the child or the motive
It is affirmed by
for his taking away, was intolerable.
persons who have been rescued from drowning that, in
the brief moment before loss of consciousness, as if by
a preternatural quickening of memory, every long-

forgotten action of their lives vividly passed before their

minds.

my

So

it

seemed

to

me

that in these three days

imagination had conjured every possible as well as

impossible cause of

my

son's absence.

Added

to this

was the torment caused by the suspicion vaguely hinted,
and here and there directly implied in the questioning
to which I was subjected, that either myself or persons
closely connected with

ing the child.

With

me

were concerned in concealweight on my

this oppressive

was

on receiving the first inand that there was
some hope that he would soon be safe at home.
I was convinced that the writer of the letter had pos-

mind, a sense of

relief

felt

formation that Charley was

alive,

Charley, not only because he declared it
but more surely from the fact that he gave correctly
Charley's middle name " Brewster," a name by which
session of

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
CHARLEY

48

ROSS.

he was rarely called, but which was known to Walter,
and was elicited from him during the drive to the city.
Believing that a fac simile of

other

letters, will

this, as

well as several

be of interest, they are inserted

the

in

order in which they were received, and closely follow-

ing the printed text.
[No.

I.]

Mr. Ros : be not uneasy you son charley bruster be all wril
we is got him and no powers on earth can deliver out of our hand, you
wil hav two pay us befor you git him from us, and pay us a big cent to.
if you put the cops hunting for him you is only defeeting yu own end.
we is got him put so no living power can gets him from us a live, if
July 3

maid to his hidin place that is the signil for his instant
you regard his lif puts no one to search for him yu mony
can fech him out alive an no other existin powers, dont deceve yuself
any aproch

anihilation.

is

if

an think the detectives can

git

him from us

for that

is

you

imposebel.

here from us in few day.

This

letter,

although

indefinite,

was the

first

clue

My

towards unravelling the mystery of the case.
friends

now persuaded me

to take Walter to Atlantic

who up to
Although the

City and inform Mrs. Ross of our loss,

time had not heard one word of
of Charley's being stolen was

with

whom

cealed

We

it

it.

known

this
fact

to the persons

she was staying, they had carefully con-

from her.

reached the cottage where she was at about 8

o'clock on the evening of July 4th, in the midst of a fearful

storm which continued

very

first

until

morning.

you not bring Charley along with you

We soon

One

questions asked by Mrs. Ross was "
retired to our

est task of

all.

room, and

I said to

her that

I

of the

Why did

Is

he well?"

now came

the hard-

?

had bad news to

tell

bad as it might be; that Charley had
been stolen from us, but we hoped to have him again in
a few days. She was extremely anxious to know all
her, yet not so

y<.^.

(Purl—

Hr'
tC— /WrA
^

W*w-

/tu/^

i4h\ /vy^

<\)t^

iaaX

.

\\AU>«>]^

Amxm

Fac-Simile of the First Lf,to:e^

:

KjJi

;

,

/ufij

^

C>aA^

/l/\\m\M^

COAX

fvV^ KvV^

V

^U^

|xA)'Vvv^

j^jj)

9

Fac-Simile of the First Letter.

>

>

# C

FIRST LETTER FROM THE ABDUCTORS.
the circumstances

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

for

53

what object he had been taken,

we had heard anything of him. To these quesand many others, oft repeated, I gave the most
favorable answers possible yet the task was very, very
difficult and painful.
The anguish of my wife I could

and

if

tions

;

not undertake to assuage.

chamber of

death,

an outlet for
"

Oh

grief,

could cry,

if I

Silence, as

seemed most

though

in the

Tears afford

fitting.

but with her the fountain was dry.
I

know

I

should be relieved of this

me

was her frequent
Yet in the midst of this severe affliction,
from the first knowledge that her boy had been taken,
until now, sustained as she believes, and no doubt has
been by Him who will not let a sparrow fall to the
ground without His notice, she has attended to all her
duties as a mother, ever hopeful that God, who perweight that oppresses

terrible

!"

exclamation.

mitted this inscrutable

affliction, will

dark cloud, and restore to her the

The

so well.
missible

;

yet dissipate the

little

one she loves

publication of private griefs

is

rarely ad-

but the loss of our child in so atrocious a

way has taken such hold upon

public sympathy that

there seems to be a necessity for violating the sanctity

of home, and giving to the world that which otherwise

would have been kept sacredly within our own hearts.
During the afternoon of July 4th, my nephew and
Officer

Wood

prepared an advertisement giving a fuller

Charley, with an account of the taking
and offering a reward of ;^300 for
the return of Charley to my place of business. No. 304
Market street. This advertisement appeared in the
papers on Sunday, July 5th, and during the following
week. They also had printed a large number of bills
description of

away of the

children,

;

CHARLEY

54

similar to the advertisement,

ROSS.

which were posted

in every

public place in the city and surrounding country, and

New

in

Jersey.

On

the seventh of July

took a package of these posters to

them

New

my nephew

York, and

left

with one of the Inspectors of Police in that city.

The

first letter

authorities a

new

from the abductors opened to the
They at once
field for the search.

determined that vigorous

efforts

must be made

to ferret

out the perpetrators of the outrage, which, by the revelations

made

in the letter,

showed

that the crime

was

not only against one family, but was of such a nature

menace the
of the
mayor
The

as to

security of every

home

city instructed Chief

in the land.

Jones and Capt

Heins to use every possible effort to arrest the criminals and recover the child; and if necessary employ
every

man belonging

to the police

to accomplish these

objects.

several districts were directed

men

and detective forces

The lieutenants of the
to make known to their

the facts of the abduction, and to interest them in

the search

by appeals

humanity as well as to
While all were required to
of the most reliable men in citi-

to their

their reputation as officers.

be

vigilant, selections

and men of families, were made from each
police district and put on this special duty.
They were
required to search every vessel, steam and canal boat
on the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers; to examine
every suspicious place, public and private ; to visit all

zen's dress,

the ferries leading to

New

Jersey ; to stop

all

covered

vehicles passing over the various bridges ; to question

keepers of toll-gates in the adjoining counties and
Jersey

;

to keep watch

night ; to look into

all

New

on the railroad depots day and
barns and unoccupied houses

THE ABDUCTORS.

FIRST LETTER FROM

55

go through all known haunts of the criminal classes;
examine the houses of Italians, professional beggars,
and all the abodes of vice; to keep watch on every
to
to

whom any suspicion
was attached; and to examine anew all stables and
sheds, both public and private. At a designated hour in
person known as a criminal, or to

the evening they searched

all

houses of

ill

repute.

Soon followed an order to visit and examine every
house, public and private, throughout the whole city.
The labor performed was immense the whole ground
;

appeared to be covered

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;the

time occupied in these

The

duties extending to the middle of August.
in the district in

their search far

officers

which my residence is located extended
beyond the city limits into the adjoin-

ing counties ; visiting every house, making inquiries of
the people, examining the barns, out-houses, sheds, and

every place in which a horse and wagon might be kept

They traveled over many
absent many days.

or concealed.

were often

The

miles,

reports of the operations of the police, as

the various officers, are

summed

full

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;the

detail

and

made by
when

of which,

shows a vast amount of work done, with a
known. The search was not confined
to our own State but officers were sent up and down
on both sides of the Delaware river. They stopped at
all the villages, examined the boats, and put up bills
up,

zeal never before

;

of advertisement.

In conjunction with the authorities

of Chester, Pa., Wilmington and

New

Castle in the

State of Delaware, they searched all the vessels

boats in the river, and the creeks flowing into
also

examined

known

all

houses

in

it.

and

They

those places that were

to be at all disreputable or suspicious.

In the

CHARLEY

56

New

ROSS.

Camden, Gloucester, Burlington,
all the villages up to Trenton,
were' visited and searched, and inquiries of the inhabitants made for the horse and wagon, and men answering
to the descriptions.
Several officers went to Baltimore
and Washington, and with the authorities of those cities
looked into the vessels and boats lying at the wharves
and in the docks.
It was supposed the child would most probably be
concealed on a boat or vessel. Special care was taken
to examine canal boats
officers followed the line of
State of

Jersey,

Riverton, and in fact

;

the canal as far as Yardleyville, Pa., examining boats,

and making inquiry of the lock-tenders, to find out i!
they had observed a child on any of the boats passing

At the same time they distributed
and posted the descriptive hand-bills. The small villages scattered through the pines of New Jersey, in the
counties of Camden and Gloucester, were all visited
and examined, and thus publicity was given to the
abduction.
I cannot better state the feelings and the
operations of the police force of this city, than by giving an extract from one of the reports of a Lieutenthrough the locks.

ant to the Chief of Police, dated
" It affords

me

the sincere interest, and

active

played by the police of this
their best efforts

1st,

1874:

zeal, universally dis-

district, in

contributing

towards an intelligent solution of the

Every house or

mysterious crime.
trict

August

great pleasure to be able to testify to

locality in the dis-

of the least doubtful character, or to which the

slightest suspicion

is

thoroughly searched

;

attached, has been promptly and

every person of

known

evil

pensities has been placed under strict surveillance,

pro-

and

THE ABDUCTORS.

FIRST LETTER FROM

every instance promising the slightest

5/

probable clue

has been submitted to an early and rigid examination.
All coal-yards, lumber-yards, sheds,

out-hcuses

stalls,

and unoccupied buildings of every description, have
been carefully and thoroughly examined. All railroad
depots and other centering points of travel have received the closest attention.

All

vehicles justifying

and especially all covered
wagons, have been stopped or subjected to the closest
the slightest suspicions,
scrutiny and

inspection.

The

police of this district

and diligently inand doing whatever suggests itself
in the matter as worthy of being done," etc., etc.
The above extract indicates the active official interest
Similar refelt by the whole police force of the city.
ports are in my possession from the lieutenants of every
have been, and are

still,

faithfully

quiring, observing,

district.

While no information was obtained that resulted

in

discovering any one connected with this crime, yet in a

number of

cases, while searching houses occupied

by

and other valuables were discovered, which led to arrests and conviction for theft and
criminals, merchandise

burglary.

On

the 19th, 20th, and 22d of June, two

men had

hired at a certain livery stable a team answering in description to the one

we were

in

search

of.

On

the 23d

same horse and wagon for
five days, but failed to get it, because the owner had
seen them enter a public house which he knew to be a
of June they applied for the

resort for thieves,

engaging

in

visiting this
3*

and suspected that they designed

some unlawful

business.

To

the officers

house the proprietor refused to reveal

who

;

CHARLEY

58

the

men

were, or where they could be found, and not

until arrested himself did

dences.

ROSS.

On

he

searching their

names and resihouse, located on one of

tell

the most public streets of the

their

city,

large quantity of household goods

not the men, but a
and silver-ware was

found, which proved to have been stolen from dwellings
in

Germantown during the days they had the horse and
The men were subsequently arrested, tried,

wagon.

convicted, and sentenced to imprisonment.

Every possible effort was made by the officers to trace
the horse and wagon, and particular attention was paid
to find persons who had seen strangers driving on Washington Lane during the last days of June and the first
of July.

A few days

after the abduction, information was obnumber of strangers had been stopping at
a hotel on the corner of Main street and Washington
Lane, Germantown that they had horses and wagons,
some of which answered the description of those used
by the abductors, and that they had been seen repeatedly driving on the Lane. They arrived at the hotel
on different days during the month of June, and were
acquainted with each other. They were eight in number, and had with them four horses and wagons.
On
further inquiry it was ascertained that a woman, with a
child about four years old, came to the hotel on June

tained that a

;

29th, stating that she expected to remain several days
but went away on the evening of July ist, sending her
baggage in one direction while she went in a different

An employee at the hotel was invited to ride with
one of the men, who drove through Washington Lane
and other streets in Germantown, and asked the names
one.

:

FIRST LETTER FROM

THE ABDUCTORS.

of property owners in several instances.

employed

At

strangers

seemed

business

but for a week previous to July

;

actively

59

first

these

in attending to
ist

had not

attempted to do anything.

These circumstances taken together were regarded as
and required investigation. It was discovered that the horses and wagons were obtained in CamThe officers went
den, N. J., and had been returned.
all these men on
names
of
the
and
found
Camden,
to
left some days
had
hotel
but
they
the
register
of
the
with
compared
carefully
The writing was
previously.
this
time;
the letters received from the abductors up to
but there was no resemblance. This party on leaving
Camden had scattered, some having gone to northern
New Jersey, others to the State of New York, and the
suspicious,

;

rest to

Ohio.

The

information was

to warrant the following
child,

and a

full

deemed

sufficient

up of the men, woman and

investigation of the matter.

The very evening

before the officers started to

New

Jersey, the postmaster in the town in which they expected to find two of the men, telegraphed as follows

"The Ross child

here; send immediately."

gram encouraged the
track.

The

officers

This

tele-

we were on the right
men at this place,
learned that a man with a

belief that

found two of the

and calling on the postmaster,
boy had applied for permission to stay at the county
alms-house, and was denied admittance; that from the
description he had of the child, he believed him to be
my child. He indicated the direction they had taken.
One of the officers remained at the hotel with the men,
while the other two followed the one with the child.
On coming to a
Traces of them were soon found.

CHARLEY

<-0

bridge the

ROSS.

man and

collector said the

toll

passed over the bridge a few hours before.
the

boy

as of a dark complexion, of foreign

bably Italian origin

;

child

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; most pro-

said he spoke broken English,

was about nine years

had

He described
and

This description of the boy
so exactly corresponded with that given by other persons along the road, that the officers were satisfied that
old.

the child was not the one they were looking

they abandoned the pursuit.
likeness of

Charley

The

in his office,

and
had a
that he was
for,

bridge- keeper

and said

looking out for him, and that he would not have allowed
the party to pass over the bridge had the child resembled
It was subsequently ascertained that they
had no connection with the suspected party the officers
were sent to trace. This ended the matter, so far as

the lost one.

that child was concerned.

who had been left behind entered into
meanwhile with the men at the hotel.
They stated they had been to Germantown taking orders
for trees and shrubbery, and were agents for a lar^e
nursery; that they had stopped trying to get orders
about a week before the first of July under instructions
from their employers, and because the farmers were engaged with their harvest, and would not give attention
The

officer

conversation

to anything else

making inquiries
Washington Lane
and elsewhere, was to find out who were responsible
persons, and to whom they might safely sell.
They
hired teams in Camden, N. J., because they could do so
at prices within their allowance for expenses, which was
impossible in Germantown. Business being dull, their
employers had written them to go to their homes, and
about

;

who owned

that their object in

the properties on

FIRST LETTER FROM

THE ABDUCTORS.

6l

Germantown, and were when
questioned on the way to their several homes. Those
living in Ohio were found, also the woman and child.
She proved to be the wife of one of the men, and the
child was her own.
This search was a long one, based on what were
thought very suspicious circumstances when grouped
they accordingly had

left

together, but satisfactorily explained

The

when everything

disclaimed any
was known.
and
proved very
criminal knowledge of the abduction,
clearly that all our suspicions were groundless.
It was deemed important to find, 'if possible, other
persons besides Walter and Mr. Johnson, who had seen
the men driving on the lane during any of the days
Walter said they had been there. Officer Wood and
my nephew were sent to interrogate every person who
had been or was then working in the neighborhood.
A number of persons were found who had seen a horse
and wagon with two men driving on the lane, which at
but subsefirst they supposed were the kidnappers
quently they satisfied themselves that they were the
" tree" men before referred to.
So nearly did they correspond to the description we had of the abductors, that
it was difficult to distinguish them from the real abducThey however found Mr. Buddy, who had been
tors.
working nearly opposite my residence, and who saw
parties

of course

;

men on the 27th, 29th, and 30th of June, conversing
with the children and giving them candy but who

the

;

work July ist. They also found Peter Cala gardener employed by my next neighbor, who

was not
lahan,

at

saw one of the men walking and holding a handkerchief to his face, whilst the other sat in the

wagon

CHARLEY

62

ROSS.

/

driving the horse.

His description of these men was

somewhat more minute

;

but

in all essential particulars

agreed with that which we had from Walter.

The next day my nephew and
quiries,

I followed up the inand drove along the route taken by the men,

inquiring at every house, of

along the

line

men working

in the fields

of the road, at the toll-gates, the places

where Walter said he got out for water, of the men who
were working on the road, and had seen the men witli
the children pass in fact, of every one from whom we
;

thought
to find

it

possible to gain

any information but
;

any one who could impart additional

failed

light

on

the matter.

my nephew, drove
Palmer and Richmond streets, and taking the road
along the Delaware river, visited all the villages, and
making a wide circuit, stopped at all the watering
places, blacksmith shops, and hotels, returning late the
Captain Heins, on July 6th, with

to

same night without being able
parties.

to hear anything of the

Similar excursions were

made

daily, until the

whole country within a radius of ten to twelve miles

was thoroughly canvassed.

CHAPTER

III.

LETTERS FROM THE ABDUCTORS AND INCIDENTS
CONNECTED WITH THE SEARCH.

OU here

sire

This, the clos-

from us in few day."

ing sentence of the

first letter

received from

the abductors, awakened a most intense deto know what the next would reveal and the hours
;

passed slowly whilst waiting with trembling anxiety

and painful unrest, to learn what was meant by " You
wil have two pay us befor you git him from us, and
pay us a big cent to."
The time of waiting was not long. On Monday, July
6th, on my way to Germantown from Atlantic City
with Mrs. Ross and the children, the second letter was
handed me at my place of business. My brother had
read it, and said, "No harm has come to Charley; but
" Certainly you
;^20,ooo is demanded for his ransom."
have not read rightly," I replied. On opening the letter I too plainly

dumfounded
joined

At
over,
I

my

the

that

sum

I

figures ;^20,ooo.

I

was so

read no more at that time; but

family with a heavy heart, and went

first

favorable opportunity, as

many thoughts passed

asked myself,

little

saw the

"

Can

it

I

home

read the letter

quickly through

be possible that the

my
life

mind.
of our

boy is depending on the payment of so large a
money? can it be that men are so hardened as

of

(63)

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
CHARLEY

64

ROSS.

to harm, nay kill an innocent child without cause? will
the cruel and cold-blooded threats be executed ?"

Although greatly

distressed,

felt

I

appearing as cheerful as possible

the necessity of

in the

presence of

my

and when she desired to see the letter, I told her it
was better she should not read it, and endeavored to encourage her with the hope that it could not be long ere
wife;

Charley would be with

may

It

us again.

be well to say here that Mrs. Ross did not

read any of the letters until they were published in the
newspapers of September of the following year except

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

one which

is

milder

in

tone than the others, and which

was given her to read by her brother. Everything they
contained was kept from her, except those portions that
This was done to spare
referred to Charley's health.
her the torture which the cruel threats would have
caused, and was acquiesced in by her without any
questioning.

The second

letter

not only reveals the price fixed as

the ransom, but distinctly states that a reward of

five

times the amount will not secure the restitution of the
child.

It sets at defiance

the powers of the universe to

discover the place of his concealment, or that of the

persons

who

stole

threats of the

him; repeats with cruel emphasis the

first

letter;

communicating answers

A

fac simile

an envelope,

and prescribes a means of

to the writer.

of this letter

all

is

also given, with that of

of which are similar, the address being

the same and the postage stamp of each placed on the

lower left-hand corner.
[N<.. 2.]

rmi.AnEi.rHiA, July 6. Mr. Kos : "We supos you got the other
Icter that laid yu we had yu child all saf and send.

powers of the universe and that cold not
set god
man and devel at defiance to rest

—

him ot of our hands. This is the lever that moved the rock that hides
him from yu ^20,000. not one doler les impossible impossible
you cannot get him without it. if yu love money more than child yu

—

—

be its murderer not us for the money we will have if we dont from
yu we be sure to git it from some one els for we will mak examples of
yurc child that others

yu

dont

flater

that

be imposible

can

git

we

teld

may be

self

him and

d'ont let the detectives mislede

to^if yu

if

lif

we

lif

we

wil hav

yu thay

tel

yu thay

the detectives in search for
lif.

for if

him

as

any aproch be made

wil be instant sacrificed,

get yu

wen you

him ded.

set

for his

by detective his

see yu child dead or alive
get

or his

—

yu befor they only serch

money yu

give yu al the tim yu want

Yu money

yu wil trap us under pretens of paying the ransom

arest us

to his hidin place

We

wiser.

wel wat yu be duing.

to consider

money yu

get

him

you wil
live if

no

get ready to bisnes with us advertise

the folering in Ledger personals (Ros.

we be

ready to negociate).

we

look for yu answer in Ledger.

This

letter

was received through the

the morning of the sixth of July,

is

post-office

on

dated and post-

marked Philadelphia, and has a three cent postage
stamp on the envelope, as have all of them. The same
afternoon

I

took

it

to the Central Police Office, for the

purpose of consulting with the authorities as to what

was now

to be done.

I stated in the

first

chapter that the fact of the loss

of the child was immediately communicated to them,

and no action was taken by
and instructions.

Among

'

me

except by their counsel

the persons present at the reading of the

were District Attorney Wm. B. Mann, and City
Many comments were
Solicitor Charles H. T. CoUis.
made on the letter and the enormity of the crime but
letter

;

all

united in expressing the belief

would never be carried

that the threats

out, the object

sought by the

1

LETTERS AND INCIDENTS.
villians

being

should be
the child

money only

satisfied that

;

and that as soon as they

they could not accomplish

on the
home.
way

would probably be

left

way, and thence find his
They all agreed that vigorous

made

7

this,

street or high-

must now be
and rescue the

efforts

to find the writer of the letters

child and decided to reply as directed in the last letter
through the personal columns of the Public Ledger,
The personal in reply to this letter appeared in the
;

paper on the morning of July 7th, as follows:
" Ros,

Measures were

at

we

be ready to negociate."

once adopted by Captain Heins to

trace the writer of the letters.

He

instructed his

men

on all criminals, particularly those
known as confidence men, and detailed a number of
officers to visit the hotels to find out if any suspicious
strangers were in the city, and to examine the registers
to see if any signatures could be found similar to the
writing in the letters I had received. They were enjoined to be unremitting and persevering in their
to keep close watch

efforts.

The

letters

themselves were

minutely examined,

every expression and word used, and the formation of

every letter was carefully scrutinized.

While it was believed that the author of the letters
was the real abductor, yet there was a possibility that
they might have been written for the purpose of black-*
mailing by some one who was not at all connected
with the crime and therefore everything that seemed
to bear on the case was investigated.
Nothing of a
character in the least suspicious was suffered to be
;

passed without satisfactory explanation.

:

CHARLEY

72

ROSS.

In consequence of the general investigation by the
police already in progress for several days,

numbers of
persons called at the Central Office, professing to have
information some of suspicious persons, and others of
;

horses and wagons which they thought answered the
published description. All were heard, and whenever

anything seeming to relate however remotely to the
case was presented which was suspicious, it was patiently

and thoroughly examined.
The personal given above appeared on the morning
of July the 7th in the Public Ledger.
About two
o'clock of the same day the following reply was
received
[No. 3.]
Philadelphia, July 7.— iWr.i^ox.- We
question with yu

yu anser

sc

in

Leger the

be yu wilin to pay for thosand ponds for the ran-

is

som of yu child, without it yu can never get him alive if yu be ready
to come to terms say so.
if not say so. and we wil act acordinly.
we
take yu anser either way xs granted and wil act on it. we care nothin
bout yu schemin and plotin to detect us. that

is

wel understod with us and

is

us.

this thing is

every humin

to detect

l>ein

the only answer

hisines.

%2QfXO

to save Charley,

us.

yu wil

find

only childrens play with

taken out of the power

it

so at the end of this

we want from yu now is, be yu wilin to pay
if yu love yu mony more than him his blood

be upon yu and not us fo wil show him up to yu either dead or a live
left

with yu) anser the folering in evnin herald or star. Ros.

to terms.
try the

Ros.

—

wil not

experiment,

offer

come
;$

ytice of Charley,

dont concent to

wil act upon yu word,

if

yu prove

sorow that wil keep our word to the very

The

if it

(it is

come

avales any thing,

them mislede yu
any thing only in good
let

faithles

^wil

omit either line yu pleas

to terms,

100,000 reward se

use the detectives as yu pleas but dont

—

we

will

to the sacfaith,

we

prove to yu heart's

letter.

expectation that something would be revealed

in the letters

that a blunder

by which the child could be traced, or
would be committed that would lead to

m

LETTERS AND INCIDENTS.

73

the detection of the writer, excited the greatest anxiety
to receive them,

and yet

my

when they came; the cold
their perusal

heart beat with misgiving

chill

of horror that followed

cannot be expressed in writing.

There

appears in this letter a fiendish effort to increase the
torture already inflicted,

by repeating again and again

the cruel threatenings.

This, together with the confi-

dence with which the abductors speak of the impossidiscover the child, and the fearlessness they

bility to

assumed

me

in boasting

of their

own

security, well nigh

and to dread the worst results.
About this time it became known to the public that
anonymous letters had been received, and answers had
been published in the newspapers. Private citizens now
joined in the search they went by unfrequented roads,
as well as the more public highways, through woods and
swamps; examined stone-quarries, mills and factories,
called at houses and huts scattered through the country,
made inquiries of persons wherever they were seen, and
Wherever they went
told the story of the abduction.
the people became interested and excited, and gave information of tramps, gipsies, and suspicious men and
led

to despair,

;

women
less,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;very often exaggerated reports

;

but, neverthe-

the parties were looked up, and forced to give such

account of themselves as would clear them of any connection with this crime, which

now was

rightly begin-

ning to be regarded as committed against the public,

and striking
munity.

at the

Many

peace and security of the whole com-

of the searches

made by private citizens
They traveled

extended over a large area of country.

night and day, never stopping until the object of their
pursuit

had been reached.

Thus was

the intelligence

CHARLEY

74

ROSS.

quickly carried to the whole country surrounding the
city.

When
of

it became known in
money was demanded for

and that

his

the city that a large

was held as the

life

citement prevailed;

men

sum

the return of the child,
forfeit,

the greatest ex-

stopped on the streets and

talked over the outrage, denominating

it

afraid to permit their children to

the worst of-

Women

fense ever committed in our country.

go out of

were

their sight

It was the subject of conversation in stores, in families,
and on the cars. Newspapers were eagerly bought up
to find out what was the latest intelligence. Vengeance
was declared against the abductors, and sympathy expressed for the child and parents. Many amateur detectives offered their services, both male and female, ready
to go anywhere, or do anything, that would aid in find-

ing the child or his abductors.

Even
clamor
"
*'

criminals themselves

joined

in

the general

such heartless offenders.
and as you know us to be," they said,

for the ferreting out of

Bad as we are,
we would only be too glad

could, that

to give information,

if

we

would lead to the exposure of the perpetra-

an unnatural crime." The worst criminals
being apprehensive of popular vengeance, and knowing
tors of such

they were under close surveillance, stood in awe,

fear-

ing that they might be accused of complicity, or even

be siispected of guilty knowledge of the abduction.

consequence of
lice,

In

and the vigilance of the pomonths was comparatively free from

this dread,

the city for

crime.

The

letter carriers

were instructed to keep memo-

randa of the street boxes from which they obtained

;

LETTERS AND INCIDENTS.
letters

addressed to me, in order

if

75

possible to fix the

where the writer lived. The drop boxes both
outside and inside the Post Office were watched.
locality

Neither of these plans resulted in discovering anything:

The

letters

came without

Letters were

now

interruption.

received from other persons,

some

anonymous, and evidently disguised.
All were compared by experts with the letters from the abductors
the writing of blackmailers or confidence-men was obtained and closely scrutinized
in fact, every suggestion
made which was thought might result in throwing light
on this mysterious correspondence was tried but without resulting in any practical good.
;

;

In June, about ten days before the abduction took
place, three strangers arrived at

They came
names

as

at

coming from

know each

not to

one of the large hotels.

hours, and registered their

different

different places.

other

;

but very soon

They appeared
it

was discov-

ered by an observing clerk of the hotel that they were

His attention being attracted to them, he
watched their movements both in the hotel and on the
streets and satisfying himself they were about to engage in some unlawful enterprise, he sent for a detec-

acquainted.

;

tive officer to

look after them.

They were

followed and

Avatched for days, without the officer discovering anything criminal in their conduct.

who had been watchmovements suspected that they were connected
with the kidnapping, and upon examining the hotel
After the abduction, the officer

ing their

register detected a similarity in the writing of

them

to that of the letters I

the attention of a

had

received,

number of other persons

one of
and called
to

it,

who

CHARLEY

y6

ROSS.

agreed that the matter demanded further investigation.

On

inquiry, he found the

men had gone away, and

the

only means by which they could be traced was a copy
of an address of a letter mailed by one of the men,

which pointed to

On

undertook to
at

New York

as his possible home.
two detectives and my nephew
him and his companions. Arriving

this supposition

New York

find

they obtained the assistance of a detective

and after patient waiting and watching for several days and nights, the man was seen to enter the
house where they hoped to find him. Information was
officer,

received also while waiting in

New York

that the other

two men, who had been in the hotel in Philadelphia,
were in a village in Pennsylvania.
The two officers
proceeded at once to Pennsylvania, found one of the

men, and brought him to Philadelphia. The following
day the one who resided in New York left for Reading,

my nephew. He there received a telecompanion in Philadelphia, that he was
under arrest, and to come on immediately. The next
My nephew telegraphed to an officer
train was taken.
the
depot
on the arrival of the train, where
be
at
to
Both of the
the New York man was also arrested.
men were brought into the presence of Walter, who
They also underwent
said he had never seen them.
a rigid examination by District Attorney Mann and
Pa.,

pursued by

gram from

others, in

his

which they acquitted themselves

satisfactorily

of any connection with the abduction.

The last letter, No. 3, asked for an answer the same
day it was received, in the Evâ&#x201A;Ź7iing Herald or Star^
showing a desire to hasten the negotiations. The letter

reached

me

too late to reply in the afternoon papers,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

:

LETTERS AND JNGIDENTS.

and the following personal appeared
ger of July

7/

in the Public

Led-

8th.

" Ros will come to terms,

to the extent of his ability."

This personal, as well as all others that were afterwards published, except the last two in the N. Y. Herald of Nov. 15th and 19th, was prepared by the authorities, who in the interests of public justice had full and

Everything was referred

complete charge of the case.

might adopt whatever means they

to them, that they

thought best to discover the writer of the

letters,

being

they would find out

satisfied that if successful in that,

the abductors and recover the child.

To

the personal of the 8th of July, the following re-

ply was received
[No. 4.]

Philadelphia, July
more, we takes no
time yu want to obtain

pay

it

Ros.

les

we no

the

money,

this

we

then

yu

extent

yu

We

your price.

set

is

ask no

how mucht

bility.

only in part answered our

is

the only question for yu to answer

question,
to

we

9.

is is

u got

wil proceed to bisiness at once,

is

and be wiiin

it
it

necessary to

repeat the fatle consequences of delayin to give time to detectives to find

we teld yu it be posible to find his place, but imposible
no aproch can be made to it without a known signal
and any stranger forcibly comin to it wold be the signal for his instant
this makes our party safe
anihilation were he wold never be herd of.

his hidin place,
to find

him.

and shows yu

that

if it

come

to

we

extremes

wil spare not the child,

thus yu se al the detectives in the country could avale yu nothin only

Jeopodisin his

machenery
to

pay

it.

Ros

life

this

undertaken cost us j^iooo to prepare the

perform the work therefor consider wel befor yu consent

to

for

pay

it

you have

to or sacrifice

yu

anser but this and on the fath of yu word his

and be wilin

to

pay

it.

this

In this letter there

me

that

the

anser or omition

is

it

child,
lif

we want no

hang.

Ros

i

is

other

got

it

satifies us.

evidently a design to impress

amount of money required

to

restore

CHARLEY

^S

Charley was

Jixcd.

the personal, "

To

ROSS.

Objection

the extent of

is

made

to this part of

my ability." The cruel

and the life
depend on the abductors' personal

threats of the previous letters are repeated,

of Charley

made

to

A more powerful

safety.

stimulant to our fears could

not have been devised.
also state the sum expended in preparing their
showing that they were pre-arranged, and end
by dictating another personal, committing me to a positive assertion that I had the money and was willing to
pay it.

They

plans,

The boldness which

the abductors assumed, struck

every one conversant with the

That three days

after the

facts

with amazement.

crime was committed, a

letter

should be received, announcing that the child was
taken for a price, and almost daily correspondence be

kept up, defying the efforts of the most acute to detect
the least mistake or to get a single trace of the writer,

was admitted by

all

to be unparalleled in their experi-

however, continued to be unremitting.
Nothing was omitted that could be devised to obtain a

ence.

Efforts,

which to work; but all efforts
and thus day after day passed without a ray of

starting
failed,

point from

light to guide us amidst the impenetrable darkness.

The newspapers

of this and other

cities

made known

the fact of the abduction very soon after the loss of the

and eagerly sought for intelligence to be imWhile a great deal was published
that had a basis of fiict, yet much was erroneous.
Their reports were extensively copied by the papers
Thus thousands of people
throughout the country.
became very soon acquainted with the abduction.

child,

parted to the public.

LETTERS AND INCIDENTS.

79

In the early part of July, while two officers were

pursuing a band of gipsies, which they had followed

Havre de Grace,
Md., that two men and a small boy, who was called
Charley, answering to the published description of the
abductors and the child, were traveling with a horse
and wagon through the unfrequented roads, and folseveral days, they were informed at

lowing the small streams, in the direction of Baltimore
officers telegraphed to Philadelphia that they

The

About the same time several
reached me, describing the same men and

would follow them.
letters

child supposed to be

here

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;''AA

and urging that they should be pursued.

child,

telegram was also received, dated Belle Air, Md.

last

Charley Ross passed through
be

night, the detectives twenty-four hours

hind."

The

pursuit

now became

exciting.

It

was

difficult

to follow the party, as they avoided the public roads.

After the chase had been kept up several days^ the
officers

stopping at a factory were informed by parties

there that they

knew

the persons

;

that they lived in

Baltimore and were selling patent rights for making

machine

oil,

and

for that reason followed the smaller

streams, to visit the mills and factories located on them.

The
fied

officers

went to Baltimore, found them, and

satis-

themselves they were pursuing a legitimate busi-

and that the child belonged to one of the men.
again took up the gipsy trail, which had been
abandoned, to look after what they supposed a better
clue.
Whilst this pursuit was going on, great excitement prevailed for days nothing was heard from the

ness,

They

;

officers,

but the painful suspense was at

last terminatecj

8o

CHAKLEY

by a

telegram,

found

;

ROSS.

" Wrong."
The gipsies were also
and discovering nothing to warrant any suspicion against them, the officers returned home after an

absence of ten or twelve days.

Many
city,

made by persons

reports were

of children

whom

residing in the

they supposed were

in charge of
improper persons, or of others who were believed not to
be under the protection of their lawful guardians.
Sometimes this was done by one neighbor to gratify
a grudge against another. In other instances where a

family had changed their residence about the time of

the abduction, and had a
hair,

we were

little

prett>' certain to

boy with

hear of

light curly

This showed

it.

the vigilance and interest of the whole people.
It was a matter of much speculation as to how the
exchange of the money for the child would be proposed,
and at the same time how the abductors would guard
themselves against detection. There seemed to be no

made to cover these
by Capt. Heins that the

suggestion that could be
It

was, however, said

who

conceived the

and who had so

plot,

points.
[x.Tson

skillfully

man-

had his way to accomplish that part also.
It remained however for the fertile imagination of a
correspondent of one of the newspapers to devise a plan,
and give it as really the one which was proposed by the
It has been called the " Bridge Story," and
abductors.
was copied by the newspapers all over the country, and
aged

is

it,

as follows
The place selected by
:

the kidnappers for these negotiations

is

a lonely

bridge in the extreme northern part of the county, and the hour in which
the business

is

to

surrounded on

all

upon

its

be transacted
sides by a

is set

flat

and

down

at

midnight.

ojien country, so that

The

bridge

is

one standing

abutment could witness an approach from any direction.

The

1

LETTERS AND INCIDENTS.
come

plan states that Mr. Ross must

While en route

for the designated

met by a man who

will be

8
with the money.

to this bridge

and before he

point,

will step before

him and say

arrives at

it,

he

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;"Good evening,

sir."
To this Mr. Ross must render an immediate reply, and then pass
on towards the bridge. A second man will approach him in the same
manner as the first, and say, "Mr. Ross, how do you do." To this Mr.
Ross must also render an appropriate reply, when he will reach the
bridge, and there meet a third man, who will ask the following ques-

tion

" Mr. Ross, have you got that ?"

:

money

there will be a slight delay

Charley,

that his little one,
all possibility

'a single

soul

pers will

moments he is promised
The robbers elude

will be delivered over.

of detection by the following conditions

armed and

will be

After Mr. Ross has paid the

but in a few

;

is

fail to

in disguise.

If

The

:

men

three

Mr. Ross does not come alone, or

if

seen lurking anywhere in the neighborhood, the kidnap-

keep

their appointment.

three different roads intersect

its

site

;

The

bridge stands

by

all

itself,

and the country being open and

level as the floor, the confederates stationed out along the different roads

can see Mr. Ross for a long distance
alone or with some one

else.

off,

and know whether he comes

Moreover, Mr, Ross will be watched from

the time he leaves the city until the time he is accosted by the first man,
and any attempt to assemble a posse of citizens or police near the bridge
will be sure to be seen

men do

by the kidnappers, whom, of course, the police-

not know.

Many

persons in our

own

city called

on

me

and

offered suggestions as well as their services to circum-

vent this plan.
is

no

locality

They

did not stop to think that there

such as described, and when asked where

they supposed the bridge to be, at once saw that
all

a

fiction.

it

was

Persons at a distance wrote letters giving

their ideas of the

manner

entrapped, and both

in

which the

money and child

parties could

recovered.

be

Some

of these plans are original, but appeared ridiculous to

those knowing the facts of the case.

A gentlemen in

hollowed out
and fastened near or under the bridge, and that on the
California suggested that large logs be

evening of the day for the exchange

men

of

known

:

CHARLEY

82

courage be secreted
brush and moss;
the party

them, and covered over with

in

that after

emerge from

child, these

who have

ROSS.

the

I

had possession of the

their hiding

places, attack

money and compel them

surrender, and thus recover

He showed

it.

to

his sin-

like to come to Philanumber to engage in this
undertaking, if I would notify him of the time the proposed exchange would take place. Another gentleman

cerity

by adding

he would

that

delphia and be one of the

proposed the following

A

sufficient

number of

tried

men

borhood a week before the time
bottom of vegetable

in the

can be brought into the neighfixed for

the exchange;

concealed

carts,

up with vegetables.
They must have cloaks the
and make their way in the night by creeping
under the cloaks

to a suitable

The

of disposing of the

dirt.

covered

holes being

soil,

color of
across

all,

and

find

made
soil.

for

some means

ventilation

and

ingress,

They should assemble

the night before the one appointed, and keep out of sight

On

soil,

hole must be roofed, and the roof

covered with cloth the color of the

day.

the

the country

rendezvous near the bridge, where ihcy

must dig a cave capable of holding them
with

perhaps

boxes, and covered

in

all

there

the next

the night chosen they should creep out after dark alongside

of the roads, under their cloi^ks, with wool on the soles of their shoes,

and

lie flat

on the ground, having night

glasses, etc., etc.

By

nightly

observations during the week, they will have observed, without being
seen, the

movements of the

stored in the rendezvous

;

confederates.

and

if

that every hunter has to practice in

for such a

pay,

I

creepmg upon game, and can hunt

reward as the friends of Ross,

don't see what

is

Their food and water will be

they have the patience and endurance

who are

parents, can afibrd to

to prevent their capturing the

the ransom, and compelling

him

man who

takes

money and child under
much observation might be

to restore the

fear of death.

The

confederates after so

.racked to their

lairs,

and some of them would

likely

be caught with the

principal offender.

Another writes thus:
In

this

Charley

morning's Herald
Ross.

I

read an account of the kidnapping of

Sympathizing as

I

do with the

afflicted family,

little

although

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

:

:

LETTERS AND INCIDENTS.
unknown

to

would go

me,

I

presume

to write you,

and

83

to suggest that if

designated spot and get his child, and

to the

Mr. Ross
he could

if

secure a pack of good blood-hounds, they could be put on the track of
these scoundrels as late as six hours after leaving the place.

Southerner, and have

known

succeed time and again,

this to

I

am

when

a

all

Should the parties take to the water, the hounds can be sent
up and down the embankments; and after they are once on the trail, they
(if good) will not mistake the scent.
Being a parent, my sympathies are
else failed.

very

much

exercised in behalf of this sorely distressed family.

Hoping you

These

will be successful,

selections,

received, not only
tors be captured

am

I

Southerner,

yours.

from many other

show a

letters that

were

great desire that the abduc-

and the child restored

but a willing-

;

ness to aid in accomplishing these results, by suggestions,

and

On

some

in

in the Public
" Ros

instances

is

Have

not got

it

am doing my best

;

in reply to

being received

;

it,

to raise it."

its wording
and accordingly, no
on the 13th of July

In

to this personal.

does not follow strictly the form

letter

participants.

Ledger:

willing.

No answer was made
it

by being active

the 9th of July the following personal appeared

another was inserted in the same paper, in the very

words prescribed
*â&#x20AC;˘

On

Ros

is

got

it,

and

willing to pay

is

it."

the same day the following answer was received
[No.

5.]

Philadelphia, July 13 I^os : Yu say yu be redy to comply, we
presume yu have wel considered be for yu maid this promis we take yu
at yu word and we hold the lif of yu son to the strictest performanc of
yu word, we want yu mony. yu want yu child, the question between
us is do yu mean to give the mony or do yu think by holdin out a faLs
promis to ensnare us into the hands of the authority,
this

mater to yu so yu wil not deceve yu

wole detective force combind
law.

in transfering

to put

self for

it

is

i

want

to explane

imposible for the

even one of us in the power of the

yu mony to us be

for

yu get yu child yu have got

CHARLEY

84

ROSS.

on our word, we ask no more money, we wil take no les.
we wanted more we wold ask it now. in 5 ours after we receve the
mony and find it corect, yu wil se yu child home saf. Aft we gets the mony
we has no further use for the child, an it is our interest then to restor him
home unharmed, so that others will rely on our word, if we don't get the
mony from yu the child's life wil an shall be sacrificed, consider wel, then,
wat yu be doin, for any promis yu mak us we hold the life yu child to
bind you to it. Ros, it would be more satisfact to yu to give this mony
to the detectives than us, but if we git it yu git yu child
if not yu child
must die, that we can sho others that we mak no threths wich we don't

to rely entirely
if

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

Ros,

kepe.

pay

it is

be you redy

our place to dictate, yues to comply,

we dictate,

to

have the ^20,000 in United States notes, in
denomination not excedin " tens." have yu money were yu can git it
it

as

any moment wen
they have

now

if so,

them (we alone hold the lock wich
it

wil only revele his (ded body)

yu gide.
wich

is

wen

cal for, the detectives,

they read

this,

wil

if

is

yu

child, if they

yu regard

Ros, yu have inevitably got to part with yu

certain as death

itself,

any

fals act

on yu part

mony

seals the fate of

terms agre with yu anser the

it

it.

we

Ros,

folerin.

look for the answer in the

Evenin

is

redy,

Star,

be

or yu child,

consider wel, an

for

yu

open the dor for yu

his life let a fatherly love

child an closes any further bisiness with us.

word

tel

got the key that opens the secret, but don't be misled by

if

yu

these

yu have

my

â&#x20AC;˘

In this letter warning is given in case deception should
be practiced upon the abductors. The time of five hours
is

required after receiving the money, before restoring

the child.

An intimation is given that it was the purpose

of the writer to pursue the business of kidnapping, and

my child must suffer, if I failed to comply with the
demands, so that other persons would be convinced
that the threats made would be put into execution, in

that

The
did not accede to their terms.
I
kind and denomination of money they required is stated,
directions given that I should have it on hand at a mo-

the event

ment's notice, and the menace

made

that

if I

act falsely

complying with any part of the demands, the fate of
the child will be sealed, and all further negotiations
in

LETTERS AND INCIDENTS.
It also discloses part

cease.

ranged, to

make

child,

of the plan they had ar-

the exchange without exposing them-

During the

selves to detection.
after getting the

money and

they would examine

it,

five

hours required,

before delivering up the

take him where he could

be found, and make their escape.

money

8$

By

requiring the

to be in U. S. notes not exceeding ten dollars,

they guarded themselves against being traced in the
future, if the attempt were made to exchange or pass
notes of larger amounts.

The requirement

me

that

I

was

to have the

be called upon

for

it.

money

any moment

near

might
For my protection Capt. Heins
in citizen's dress to be near me

at all times, indicated that at

I

two officers
wherever I went on the street to secrete themselves at
my place of business and at my home, during the night
as well as the day; so that for about three weeks I was
never unattended. Every means was made use of to
detailed

;

arrest the person

who

should

make

the

demand

for the

money. Officers were also detailed to remain at
house constantly, for about three weeks.
As the plot was being developed, the greater was
anxiety.

I

my
my

keenly realized the increasing danger to

which my little Charley was exposed; and while I was
encouraged to hope that he would not be injured by
those who had possession of him, yet the fact of his
being forcibly carried away

would seriously

among

be attended with danger to his
increase the anxiety of both

As

the public

demanded

strangers

injure his health, even

knew

my

life.

if it

I

feared

should not

This served to

wife and myself

that a large

sum

of

money was

for the restoration of the child, a great curi-

:

S6
osity prevailed

to

CHARLEY

ROSS.

see and

read the

letters.

Many

acquaintances and strangers desired to satisfy themif the reports which were current were true.
Newspaper reporters of this city and correspondents
of other cities were importunate to have the letters,
that they might be lithographed and published.
To all
I stated, that they had been read and examined by all
who by their counsel were assisting to discover the abductors, as well as those who were more actively working in the case and by their advice as well as by the
instructions of my counsel, I was enjoined not to permit
them to be read, or pass out of my poscssion for publi-

selves

;

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

the reasons for which were, that no possible
good could result by their being read indiscriminately,
or by allowing them to be lithographed, and great injury might ensue moreover, that there certainly would

cation

;

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

be attempts made to counterfeit them, in which event it
would be difficult to distinguish the genuine from the
false.
Another and an important reason for withholding the letters from the public, was my desire that Mrs.

Ross should not know of the

On

Saturday,

I

threats they contained.

ith of July, postal cards containing

an account of the loss of Charley, with a description
of him and requesting the people to unite in the search,
were sent to the pastors of all the churches in the city,
with a request to read them the following day to their

Another large poster was prepared,
giving fuller descriptions than the first one, and placed
in all conspicuous places in the city and neighborhood.
On July 13th the following note was sent by the Chief
congregations.

of Police to editors of
Philadelphia

all

the newspapers in the city of

LETTERS AND INCIDENTS.

Dear Sir:â&#x20AC;&#x201D; In
ordei-s that

8/

Office of the Chief of Police, \
Philadelphia, yu/y /j, 1874. J
of public justice, I ask that you will give

the interests

nothing be published in your papers touching the case of

Mr. Ross' child

for a

few days.
"

Many

Yours Respectfully,

Kennard H.

Jones, Chief of Police.

of the papers, in their eagerness to print any-

thing relating to the case, had published the doings of
the police, and thus informed the abductors of every

made

step

in

that the post-office

time

all

The most
was the announcement

the efforts to capture them.

injudicious of these publications

was being watched.

Up

to this

the letters had been dropped in the boxes of

the main office, and the day on which

was published,

it

detectives were both inside and outside of the

Immediately
were

still

office.

and while the officers
was dropped in a street

after its appearance,

on the watch, a letter
all that were subsequently mailed

box, as were

in Phil-

adelphia.
I will

my

here relate a pleasant episode connected with

sad narrative.

About July

13th, a

whom

gentleman of

had become
as a ransom for
known that
Charley, by a note requested an interview with me, to
which I at once replied, that whenever it was agreeable
to him I would be pleased to see him.
He called upon
me the same day, and after introducing himself, added
that he had sought this interview, not from motives of
curiosity, but because he thought he might render me a

this city, a stranger to

me, to

it

^20,000 was demanded

service, if I felt inclined to talk freely with him.

He

had confided to any one my pecuniary circumstances, and whether I had freely and fully
expressed my inmost feelings to any person regarding

then asked

me

if I

the present terrible affliction.

CHARLEY

88

"To no one

I replied,

wife's family,

from

whom

KOSS.

outside of

The gentleman then said
may be able
:

real condition, I

" If

you

know

will tell

to assist you."

unhesitatingly acceded, and told
desired to

my own

and

my

nothing had been concealed."

me your
To this I

him everything he

of myself and the abduction, at the same

time adding that as to the taking away of the children
and the keeping of Charley I was absolutely and entirely ignorant, both of the parties who had done it and
of their object, except as it was revealed in the letters I
had received that to me it was a more perplexing
mystery than it could possibly be to any one less inter-

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

ested.

He replied, "Do you

wish to pay the ransom, and run

the risk of getting the child in five hours

If

?

you do,

give you twenty thousand dollars, and never ask

I will

you to return one cent."
Such an exhibition of generosity and practical sympathy I was unprepared for. It overwhelmed me for a
moment. On recovering myself I replied, " I thank
you,

cannot accept your generous offer; for having

sir, I

taken the position that
ony,

I

I

would not compound the

prefer continuing to

criminals

;

hoping,

will recover

my

if

make

successful

child,

efforts

in getting

to

fel-

find the

them, that

and probably prevent a

I

repetition

of child-stealing for a ransom."

He then asked me what were Mrs. Ross's feelings
on the subject; to which I replied, that I had no
doubt she would make almost any sacrifice to get her
but that she
child back, as any mother would do
also was willing to endure, if her family and friends
;

thought

it

best.

LETTERS AND INCIDENTS.

With
act.

peculiar pleasure do

In the hour of

my

I recall this

89

magnanimous

deepest darkness, the light of

such practical human sympathy, though bright in itself,
was doubly so because of the deepened shadows which
In the deep
suspicion had thrown over the cruel facts.
depravity and selfishness of wicked men, my child was
stolen in the kindly sympathy of a stranger was found
a heart large enough, and a hand generous enough,
Voluntarily to meet the utmost demands.
Great exi;

gencies bring out great virtues.

brought out

this

generous

Swing

in

This great crime thus

offer.

Charley's Play-Ground.

PUBLIC

CHAPTER IV.
INTEREST IN THE CASEâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; REWARD

jHILDREN
now.

A

OFFERED.

never seemed half so precious as

new cause

of anxiety and a

prehension was carried by

men

new

ap-

to their daily

A

new reason for thankfulness was found
kidnapper
had not invaded the family circle
that the
during their absence. Men awoke to the existence of
a danger to which their children were exposed, of
which before they had had no suspicions, and to the
business.

acknowledgment of a protecting Providence in
in which before they had no fears.
This
trepidation of families was manifested in that, if a child
was absent from home for only a few hours, the parents became agitated and anxious, fearing that kidnappers had dragged it off. Instances were reported in
grateful

a direction

the newspapers almost daily of children supposed to

have been

who were soon discovered, havMendicants were closely watched,

stolen, but

ing strayed away.

So great
lest they should entice or carry off a child.
was the alarm that every possible precaution was taken
by parents to protect their children from being kidnapped. Even little children themselves realized the
danger to which they were exposed, and would shudder and cry out with alarm upon the approach of suspicious-looking

persons,

who

carry them away.
(90)

they supposed

might

1

PUBLIC INTEREST IN THE CASE.
In consequence of this general interest

9
felt

by the

and the great enormity of the crime, a number
of gentlemen, well known as persons of good judgment
and high social standing, conferred together and determined to render what services they could in trying to

public,

unravel the mystery which surrounded the case.
others were Mr. George

Board of Public

W.

Charities,

Among

Harrison, President of the

Mr. John C.

Bullitt,

and Mr.

Wm. McKean, editor of the Public Ledger. To these gentlemen every thing connected with the abduction was

made known.
as

all

The

letters

from the abductors, as well

other letters that had been received, were submit-

them for examination. They were informed of
means that had been used to discover the men,
horse and v/agon in fact a complete account was given
to them of all that had been done by the authorities and
by private individuals, who had been interested in the
ted to

the

all

ÂŤ

case from the ist day of July.

Before these gentlemen engaged in the investigation

by request of Mr. Bullitt and Mr. McKean,
met them, and underwent a most searching examination with regard to my private, social and business life.
Without any reservation upon my part, they were made
of the case,
I

acquainted with every thing they desired to

know

object of this examination being, as I understood

discover

if

;

the

it,

to

there could be any other motive for the

abduction than that of extorting money.

Immediately

after

my

interview with them, they

began to examine into everything that seemed either
remotely or more directly to bear on the case. They
were "instant in season and out of season" ready at

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

all

times, night or day, to give advice, or

make sugges-

CHARLEY

92
tions as to

ROSS.

what should be done, and often went

to dis-

tant places to investigate matters requiring examination.

There was no plan of any importance adopted without
judgment and approval, and whatever measures

their

they proposed were carried out

Nearly two weeks had now elapsed since Charley

was

stolen,

and the

entire

community became impatient

because nothing had been discovered that seemed to

shed any light on the dark mystery.

began to

find fault

Many

persons

with the police, and censured them

for not finding the criminals and the child, charging
them with being mercenary; others, because every effort
thus far had proved fruitless, began to whisper that if
the police wanted to be successful, they should look

home

nearer to the

of the child

;

intimating that the

some way connived at the secretion of
the child, and that they would prove the real abductors.
It was whispered that Charley was not the child of

parents had in

my

wife, and many other like unkind and false statements passed from one to another. But our one great

trouble

Few

made

these lesser trials

seem

trivial.

persons were prepared to believe that a child

could or would be stolen
object of a ransom.

in this

country

The crime was so

for the sole

atrocious that

they could not realize that the helplessness and inno-

cence of childhood would be taken advantage of to
rend the heart-strings of parents for the sake of gain,

and

this too as a traffic

;

some other motive
These whisperings and

to find

hence everybody cast about
for the

act

insinuations were collected,

and furnished the correspondent of a newspaper with
matter for a long letter; which letter, however, was not

:

:

:

PUBLIC INTEREST IN THE CASE.
published until every effort was

93

made and inducement

held out to the authorities and myself to furnish the

same paper with the
from the abductors

which had been received

letters

for publication.

spondent's letter appeared,

After the corre-

was copied extensively

it

throughout the country, and increased incalculably the
torment which we were then enduring.
In addition to
places to the

letters

.this,

were sent from various

Mayor and Chief

of Police, extracts from

a few of which are here given as specimens.

One person
house to

suggests that the

Mayor should send a

up the grounds around my
the depth of one or two feet, and believes they

large force of

men

to dig

will find the child.

Another writes thus
Chief of Police. Has it

—

stolen by his

A
you

Stokley.

S.

ever occurred to you that the Ross boy was

Signed,

father?

person writes the

W.
send

own

— Sir

sufficient force

;^20,ooo.

Mayor
am

you

will

and thoroughly search the house of Mr. Ross,

that

:

I

under the impression that

will find the child, Chas. B. Ross, concealed in one of the

the house in charge of a lady.

" Do not delay."

I will call for a reward.

If the child

may

assist

your detectives in finding the child and

Ross (the father)

is

plice captured the child

motive
I

—a desire

do not know.

look to

him

prove the

found

If

my views
I believe

the villain, with one accomplice; that his accom-

and conveyed him

to levy blackmail

He may

to

an appointed place.

from his friends and the

stand well; but I believe

for his child,

villain,

is

a peculiar opinion
thief.

lead to the discovery I shall rely on you for a sufficient reward.
that

rooms of

Signed,

Another from the far South writes
Mayor of Philadelphia. —Dear Sir: I have
that

if

it

if

you

will be found in his control,

with an accomplice.

If

he does not know

The
Ross

city.

will secretly

and he
all

will

about the

child,

how

How

unnatural that a father whose child had been kidnapped could

can he express confidence in

express confidence in the

humane

its

good treatment and

action of the kidnappers.

safety ?

CHAKLEV

94
Ross

is

who seems

the only one

KOSS.

able to suggest a

ing the ransom and receiving the child.
control of the funds,
I

may be wrong

and enables him

in

my

suspicions,

method

to appropriate

them

and would be

far

;

still

the conviction rests upon

Ross has planned and managed the whole
accomplice

;

scheme of

pose of making money.

to

examine

feel-

that

conjunction with an

I

villainy

know my

is and controls him, and
was begotten by him for the pur-

may seem

convictions

unnatural at

and see whether they do not point more
Ross than any other character, and put your detectives quietly

but read

directly to

wounded
my mind

he knows where the child

that

that the stupendous

first;

affair, in

at pleasure.

from doing vio-

lence to the reputation of an honest man, or injuring the
ings of an outraged father

for deliver-

This plan gives him complete

all

the reports,

Signed,

his skirts.

Dated July

ijih, 1874,

Whether prompted by

malice, love of gossip, or the

hope of reward, these slanders continued to be repeated,
until in September a letter appeared in a newspaper in
our State, purporting to be based on information obtained from a person from Germantown, which was so

flagrant a violation of truth, that
insisted that

my

my friends

advised and

family must be defended by an appeal

to the courts.

Suit for libel was instituted against the proprietors

of this paper.

They acknowledged

the falsity of the

statements, and confessed that great injury had been

done

to us.

After being reprimanded by the Judge for

the gross abuse of the liberty of the press, and a fine of
This
^1,000 being imposed, they were discharged.

ended the further publication of reports that endeavored
my family or myself with the commission

to connect

of the crime.

The

following personal appeared in the Public Ledger

of July 14th, in answer to letter No.
" Ros, Came too late for Evening Star, It
word

for it."

5
is

:

redy

:

you have

my

—

—

PUBLIC INTEREST IN THE CASE.

95

Not getting a reply to the above as promptly as we
had to the previous personals, the following was put in
the personal column of the Ledger^ July 15th
:

" Ros,

am

anxiously awaiting an answer."

should be understood that the extraordinary exwe were then living was so great that

It

citement in which

the time intervening between the appearance of the
personals and the receipt of answers,

made hours seem

hke days.

On

the l6th of July the following reply was received:

[No.

7.

Dropped

in letter-box

on Delaware avenue, somewhere south

of Spruce street.]

Philadelphia, July 16 Kos: The reason we did not respond to yu
answer was we had to go a bit out in the country an the blasted old
We went as much as
orse give out so we could not get back in time.

how

anything to se
safe

—

Yu

Charley was.

have our word that he

is

yet

no harm done him thoug he is uneasy to get home
he is afraid he won't get home in time to go to Atlantic
mother when Saly comes back. Ros, yu understand the

in health an

with Walter,
City with his

condition the

money was

to

Charley befor

we

mony

existing

got the

circumstances.

Yu

be given

We

us.

wold gladly give yu

but that wold be imposible under the

must

satisfy yuself

that

yu wil

git

him

mony an find it corect and no sly marks put on the
We told yu we wold place him in yu hands in 5 ours after we
notes.
fond the mony corect but that we can not do but our word for it that yu
shall have him insid of 10 ours an may our blasted sols be eternaly
darned if we do not keep our word with yu as we said befor after we
gits the mony we have no further use for the child but we have a big
object in restoring him to yu safe and sound. We shall be redy we think
after

we

git the

—

by Saturday

we want

—the

to

to efect a

danger

Ros

change with yu (the child for the mony^.

impres upon yu mind the grate danger in efecting
lies intirely

with yuself

if

yu wish

to

this

change

make a change an
we instruct yu

absolute certainty yu must comply in every particular as

then a failure

is

imposible.

the

first

place,

no how yu are to setle this bisiness (not
aresting one of us for as we told yu that

ives

yu must not
that
is

we

fear

imposible

let

the detect-

them

at all) in

—but they

wil

CHAKLi:V KOSS.

96

secretly interfear in this bisiness in

mony from

findin

yu only, an

if

yu

way

its

to us

any others

call in

own

then yu mistake wil be yu

some underhanded way to prevent the

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;we

are going to deal with yu alone an

to give

you a counter advice from ours
let yu friends advise yu

misfortune.

and not the detectives they study their own iitterest an the interest of
society,
yu have a duty to perform to yusclf that stands paramount to all
else in the world an if yu ever expect to regain yu child a live, yu alone
with the advice of yu fripnds must perform

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

our bisiness

incite into

person

who

us wether

any

faith

to us

it

if

made
will

is

made

give you this

much

wil be an inocent

it

actin. but

it is

imaterial with

or any clandestine

movements

transmiting this

in

be conclusive evidence with us that yu have broken yu

we

god

there be an

an oculd prof of
answered

we wil

it.

arest is

be an inocent person or one of our own party the moment

with us an that our

universe

any

if

wil be ignorant of the part he

it

arest is

mony

that

it

an then

al that is

pledge our selves befor

exist that

all further

necesary

all

yu child shal die an

the gods in the

we

wil give

we have yu word

at present,

yu

(yu have

business with us ceases,
for

it.)

we

want yu to nail this mony up in a smal strong ruf box an have it were
yu can git it at a minutes notice, mark on it (Drugs for H H H.

This
writer,

Charley

letter intimates that

and that he and

trip to see him.

It

home

and that he

to Walter,

get home in time

says that

to

is

his confederates

go

not with the

have taken a

Charley wants
is

to

come

afraid that he will not

to Atlantic City to be

with his

mother when Saly (should be Sophy) comes back. It
guards against any private marks being put on the
money, and extends the time from five to ten hours
before returning the child after they receive the money.

By

blasphemies

it

and

to impress

me

to deceive them.

endeavors to confirm their promises,
with the great danger of attempting
It fixes

endeavors to induce
detectives

me

alone,

;

me

the day for the exchange, and

to have nothing to

do with the

saying that the business will be closed with

and threatens to

kill

the child should any

attempt be made to arrest the person

who may come

PUBLIC INTEREST IN THE CASE.

money.

for the

when

also states

It

be put up, that

may

it

how

the

9/

money should

be ready at a moment's notice

called for.

now seemed

Matters

to be drawing to a close.

Ever>'

advantage that the circumstances gave to the abductors
seemed to have been considered, and was brought out
prominently

me and prevent
and to protect themselves

in the letters, to intimidate

my

upon

deception

part,

against detection.

The time appointed for the exchange was the followThe correspondence was closed, no an-

ing Saturday.

swer being required to

The

This feeling was participated

anxiety.

who knew
tion

this letter.

three intervening days were spent in nervous
in

by every one

the contents of the letter; and every precau-

was devised by the

authorities

and

their counselors

to frustrate the plans of the abductors, and to follow the

who

person
ties

with

should

whom

I felt that

it

call for

the box, and arrest the par-

he should afterwards communicate.

was a

fearful risk, involving the life of

the child, and in painful agony the hours were passed.

The

terrible threats, enforced

mies, caused

me

was hanging by a

by the dreadful blasphelife of our little boy

to feel that the

single hair.

Savages before despatching their enemies frequently
torture

them by tearing the

flesh piece-meal

quivering limbs of their victims; but these
lessly, in

men

from the
remorse-

the hope of gain, increased by every stroke of

the pen the torture which they had already inflicted;

not upon enemies, but upon those

who had

never injured

them, and were not even known to them.

My

friends
5

endeavored to convince

me

that the terri-

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

:

CHARLEY

98

ROSS.

murder would not be added to that already
it was to the interest of
the abductors to protect the child, as on his life was
based their only hope of getting the ransom.
Saturday came and passed away without any demand
being made for the box but the following letter was
ble crime of

committed, for the reason that

;

received
[No. 8.]

Philadelphia, July 18. Ros : we be at a los to understand yua week
ago yu sed yu had the amont an was wilin to pay it the editorials seme
to speak as if the mony wus yet to be contributed befor yu could pay
it.
this wold be a tcrable mistake for yu to have it caled for an yu had
it not to hand out for it wold never be solicited the second time,
if yu

mean

we

square bsiness with us

wil

do

al

we

promis yu.

if

yu hav the mony or not yu can

yu mean

game
mony as with it. if yu trap any one it wil be some one
we care nothin abot only we lose the mony (yu lose the child) we be
redy to test it soon as you say mony is redy. we se the pealers has coped
a lad an grate prase is given them for their efficiency hut we care nothin
stratigem

it is

imaterial wether

try the

as wel without the

for

him

but

if it

was one of our chums they had, yu child wold have dide
yu
it, an al further negotiations wold cease at once,

within aa our after

wil find in the end that the cops can do nothn for yu in this case, thay
are as far of the track

we

now

as the

day they started

in persuit of the

cautioned yu against setin the pealers or cops as

lookin for the chilld.

don't

search for the child's

life.

yu believe us when we

at

tel

yu

i

every stroke of the pen.

cal

game,

them

that they only

The blasted editorials have got
we can hardly do anything,

such a feve bout the child that

endanger the child's life

som here

the city in
tel

yu they

one editor wants

to

kno why we dont give yu some prof tlLit we ever had the child by sendin
some of his close or a lock of hair we have our reason for not sending
them, to satisfy yu we have him yu remember his striped stockins are
darned in two or three places were they had holes in. ask Walter if we
tlid not put the blanket up in front of him an Charley in behind to hide
them, ask Walter if we did not say we wold go down to aunt Susans
Ros if yu ever
befor we went out on the mane street to buy torpedos.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

yu have got to act with us alone yu
and yu friends only, we tel yu positivly if yu love yu child the detectives
if yu have ihem in yu service they will \ye the
are yu worst enemies,
want yu child restored

to

yu a

live

PUBLIC INTEREST IN THE CASE.
means of yu

yu child

losin

forever,

99

we

we
we

they interfea in our bisines

if

can never efect the change an death inevitably will be the

result,

want to keep him any longer
mony we thought yu were better
we would never took yu child but since we have him

can not keep the child forever,

don't

than to give yu time to procur the

money

fixt for

we

shal

or

cary out our plan with him.

we

stop short

wil not keep

it

our friends at a distance but

we

corosponence with us must

this

up longer,

we

befor yu git this

shal join

wil notice al yu have to say either in

ledger star or herald or Sunday dispatch anything you wish to communicate to us

head

it

CR R

dont

instead of Ros.

led by the Spiritualist to think they can
there

an

is

that

the money,

is

yu wil

find in the

man Woster is innocent he
him an make the most out

please with

that
to

we hope yu

an

will take

yu have the mony

you an redy

until

wen

to give

it

for

caled

for.

let

yu but they be

actin

that

we

him yu

it

our advice to yu

can.

dont yu

is

in personals

state

we

naled up in the box

the brokers

we

to justice

under a great delusion

—

if

—they mean wel

they be friends to yu
restor the

—

child's throat
this is

—

if

they want revenge

let

them

a friendly advice do as yu think best

we no yu mind

—we

git

it

after

yu

to cut

yu get yu child,

—yu hear no more from us

have told yu that yu will se yu child again but

We

depends with yu an yu only in what condition you se him.

we would be ready

described

had a metin

se have

them make the mony up which is the only thing can
if they will not do that yu drop them unless yu want

child

yu

tel

speak truth for

has nothin to do with us, do as yu
of

once that

yu have

end

an think they can restor yu child an bring us
to

yu wife be foolishly

but one thing on earth outside of us that has the power to

once, This

is

let

her anything bout Charley,

tel

to setle this bisines to-day but

In this letter reference

is

made

it

ti)

it

thought

must be delayed.

to articles

which ap-

peared in the newspapers, proposing that citizens should
offer
if

They say

a reward.

it

would be a

the person should call for the

prepared to pay

second time.

it,

as

They

it

who

and

reiterate the caution

I

made

of a per-

they declare does not belong to their party,

about having nothing to do

with the detectives, and speak of the excitement
city as

not be

never would be called for a

refer to the arrest

son,

mistake

fatal

money and

being so great that

it

in

was almost impossible

the
for

CHARLEY

100

ROSS.

them to do anything. They speak of the demand made
by some of the newspapers for the return of some articles that would determine with certainty that they really
have Charley, which

some

less

they decline doing; but

give

hazardous evidences of his being in their

possession.

They speak

of not wanting to keep the

any longer than to give me time to get the
money, and acknowledge that they are disapp>ointed in

child

my

They say they

pecuniary circumstances.

going

the city, and

from

through which

I

indicate

the

are about

newspapers

can communicate with them, with the

heading changed from Ross to C. R. R.

They

advise

Mrs. Ross not to listen to Spiritualists, and refer to a

meeting of brokers,

who were

at that time consulting

about offering a reward for the arrest of the abductors

and the restoration of the
saying

I

action

if

will see

he

will

my child

child,

and close the

again, but

be dead or alive

;

it

letter

depends upon

lastly, that

by

my

they are

not ready to settle the business on this day, as they

had agreed.
This

letter indicates

the abductors.

The

extreme caution on the part of

intense excitement that prevailed

and throughout the country, they evidently
no common outburst of passion, but a real,
deep-felt purpose, indicating that no quarter would be
in the city

felt

to be

given to the miscreants should they be discovered. This
fear is also manifested by them, by their frequently
warning me against taking advice of the detectives and
although an air of security is assumed, they plainly
;

felt

that they were treading on the brink of a danger-

ous precipice, and so
in

not sending

for the

failed to

box.

keep the appointmcrtt

PUBLIC INTEREST IN THE CASE.

lOI

became very clear, after a few letters had been received, that no ordinary person devised the plot, and
that it was being skillfully and cautiously worked up
by a thoughtful and cool villain, apparently without a
weak link or mistake of any kind.
Although the letters generally are of great length,
It

often covering four sides of foolscap paper, written in a

disguised hand, the only peculiarity discovered in the
writing

is

formation of some of the letters, which
made wherever they occur, and indiway the writer formed them.

in the

are uniformly
cate the usual

Mrs. Ross had been told that ;^20,000 was demanded,
and ten hours was required after the money was paid before Charley would be restored; also that the time had
been appointed for the person to come for the money,
and that the officers were detailed to remain in the
house for our protection. This intensely increased her
already great excitement, so that upon being suddenly
aroused at n-ight, not an unusual circumstance, she was

much

alarmed.

Arrangements were made by which the officers could
secrete themselves, and yet be able to hear any conversation with persons at the door or inside the house, and
at a signal they were at once to appear and arrest the
person

who should ask

for the box.

About twelve o'clock one night we were awakened
by a violent ringing of the bell, and supposed the messenger had come to get the box. The officers took
their positions; Mrs. Ross stood on the landing at the
head of the stairs agitated with fear, while I went to the
door to invite whoever was there to come in. On opening the door, two strangers asked if this was my resi-

CHARLEY ROSS

102

them to come in. One of them handed
and stated that they both Hved a distance
off, and that the person who had accompanied him had
some information which he thought might be of value,
and he desired to tell me without any delay. He communicated what he had heard and seen, and they left,
having caused much needless excitement
dence.

me

I

invited

his card,

My house, as well

as

my place of business, u.i^

visited

by acquaintances and strangers who had suggestions to
offer, information to give, or who came to extend their
kind sympathies; and it seemed to me that every person, both in the city and from other |5laces, whose mind
was not well balanced, or who was a monomaniac upon
any particular subject, found us out, and proposed his
way of discovering Charley, or of restoring him to us.
Of course they all meant kindly, and their motives were
accepted in the proper spirit

Sunday seemed to be generally selected by these
persons to call. During one afternoon three came to
my home about the same time one a German, who
;

He said,

You lost your
you show me the exact place the boy got into
the wagon, I will surely bring him back to you within
spoke very broken English.

boy.

"

If

three days, either dead or alive."

I

thought the easiest

him out on the lane,
and show him as nearly as I could the place where the
children had been taken into the wagon. "Here ?" he
said; "well, I bring him back to you in three days."
How he intended doing it I did not inquire, nor have I
heard from him since. Having got clear of him, I
asked the second friend what he desired to say. He
replied, " You cut off your hair and beard and your

way

to dispose of

him was

to take

PUBLIC INTEREST IN THE CASE.

IO3

The Bible says you must not
and in confirmation turning to a verse
in the Bible in which the Nazarite is required to let his
hair grow^ he added, " God has punished you for cutting off your hair.
He punished me, and two of my
children died because I cut off my hair.
You must not
use razor or scissors, but let your hair grow, and all
will be right.
Your child will come back when your
hair grows."
"Well, my friend," I said, "if that is all
child's hair.

It's

cut off the hair

you have

to say, there

is

a lady waiting to see

me you
:

excuse me."

will please

The lady
see me,

wrong.

;"

came from New York expressly to
deeply for my loss, and thought she could

said she^

felt

be of service to

know what

me

;

to which

replied

I

I

should like to

information she had, or what she proposed

She began a history of her own and her hustold me who she was, and where she lived
in the city of New York, nothing of which was interesting
to me and expecting she might keep me the remainder
of the day, I told her there was another person waiting
doing.

band's

life

;

;

to see me,

and asked her to

what she knew

ble

boy.

After

much

me

tell

as quickly as possi-

relating to the recovery of
hesitation, she said before

my

little

her mar-

and was considered an
medium; but having married a minister, on

riage she practised clairvoyance,

excellent

account of persons' prejudices, she did not think
proper to exercise her powers

;

but

my

loss

it

being so

would be glad to do what she could to
fathom the mystery. "Well, madam," I replied, " I have
no objection to a trial of your skill in whatever capac-

peculiar, she

ity

you please and certainly if you find the child, there
be some grounds for faith in your theory." She

will

;

CHARLEY

104

ROSS.

left me, after exacting a promise that if she discovered
where Charley was and sent for me, I would go
immediately where she directed; but I have not heard

from her

yet.

At another time two
called at
after

a

my

little

strangers, early in the morning,

place of business, and not finding
hesitation told

my

brother that they

me

in,

knew

where my little boy was secreted. Upon questioning
them, he found they had no definite information and
suspecting they were fanatics, told them to bring the
;

home, and he would give them one thousand dolOn leaving him they said they would go to Norristown and bring Charley home that day.
During
the afternoon of the same day I received a telegram
from Mrs. Ross as follows: "Come home quickly;
good news." Without delay I hastened home and
eagerly inquired for the good news. She said three
men came to the house about two o'clock, and went
directly to the stable and ordered the boy to harness
the horse, telling him they were going for Charley.
The boy, supposing it was all right, commenced putting
the horse to the wagon, when Mrs. Ross inquired who
those men were? One of them whom she had seen in
Germantown stepped forward and told her their object;
at the same time, brandishing his pistols and knife, said:
" We are well armed, and expect to have a hard fight for
He said the other two men were friends of his
him."
from the city, and they were going to Norristown.
Suspecting that the two men were the persons who
had been at my place of business in the morning, I asked
her if they had taken the horse and wagon, to which
she replied " Yes
but the boy went with them." I
child
lars.

;

PUBLIC INTEREST IN THE CASE.
then told her they were Spiritualists,

if

not worse.

I05

Her

countenance at once indicated the great disappointment
she

felt

;

for she confidently believed they

would surely

come back with Charley, and had telegraphed me
that I might be at home when they returned.
They did not get back until after twelve o'clock at
night, and the boy said he had driven them he did not
know where. He only knew that they had called at a
number of houses near Norristown, and under pretense of
sewing machines had succeeded

selling

them, and at
told

last

in getting into

they came to a house which they were

was occupied by Creegar, the

counterfeiter.

Then

they were positive they would find the object of their

and preparing themselves for a desperate fight,
man and ransacked the house
from the cellar to the garret. Finding no child in the
search

;

they aroused the old

house, they concluded to return, saying they must certainly

have mistaken the direction that the spirits had
Thus ended the exploit of these worthy

indicated.

knights of the knives and pistols.

Another instance of this

was that of
and asking permission of
Mrs. Ross to try to bring Charley back. She told
him if he did no harm, he might do as he liked.
He went to the stable, followed by the children, and

a

man

class of persons

calling at the house,

getting a carriage from the barn, took off a wheel, then
went to get a small piece of wood from one of the

posts at the entrance of the place; but finding they

were of stone, he selected three spears of grass, which
he said would answer his purpose. He then put these
on the axle and replaced the wheel, and began turning
it, at the same time reading from a book some prayers

CHARLEY

I06

He

or incantations.

ROSS.

told the children that at every

Charley was being brought

revolution of the wheel,

one mile nearer home.

For a time the novelty of the proceeding amused
the children, but soon Walter wanted to examine more
closely into the matter
carriage,

seeming much

tempted to climb into
exclaimed, "

Now you

;

gradually he approached the
interested, until finally
it,

when suddenly

have broken the

spell

bring your brother home," and indignantly

he

the
:

I

at-

man

cannot

left.

The following morning he came again and commenced the same process, telling the children that he
would have to take off each wheel, and afterwards drive
off a short distance to get

the morning.

About

friend drove into the yard,

pied as he thought by
riage, fastened his

Charley.

3 o'clock in

He

remained

all

the afternoon, a

and finding the shed occu-

some person

horse to a

repairing

tlie

car-

Soon a very heavy

tree.

shower came up, and my brother-in-law, seeing the
horse and wagon standing in the rain, went to put them
under shelter, and on opening the door of the stable,
struck the carriage upon which the man was operating,
at the same time accosting him with " What are you
doing here ?" The operator at once ceased, and said,
"It is of no use for me to try any longer. The spell which
I attempt to pyt on the persons who have the child is
always broken." This was the last visit he paid us.

Knowing

by perwe endeavored to

the interest taken in our calamity

sons wherever

it

had been heard

of,

give a respectful hearing to every one, although at

times being subjected to great annoyances, as in the
cases just mentioned.

PUBLIC INTEREST IN THE CASE.

A number of
in different

10/

too were received from persons

letters

places, suggesting the kind of notes

that

should be obtained and given to the abductors, such as
counterfeit money to be procured from the United States
Treasury department, notes of large denominations of

from ^100 to ^i,ooo each, the numbers and letters of
which should be registered, and private marks put on
each note, and the banks and bankers in
furnished with
to

memoranda

examine every note of

all cities

to be

of them, and to be requested

denomination that should

like

be offered to them either for exchange or on deposit.

[The abductors

in their

guarded

carefully

letters

against any strategems in transmitting the money, and

did not propose to deliver up the child simultaneously

money

with the receipt of the

;

but required the advan-

tage of five hours, afterwards extended to ten, for the

purpose of giving them an opportunity of examining
the money, in order to find out if it was good, and to
see that there were

which were to be

no private marks on the notes,

denominations not exceeding tens,
as well as to allow them time to return the child.
In
the event of any fraud being discovered, the life of the
in

was to be forfeited. See letters No. 6 & 7.]
Although the personal of July 14th was precisely as

child

dictated in the previous letter, the kidnappers questioned

whether

it

had been published in good faith as they
which they interpreted as conveying
;

refer to editorials,

the impression that the

money was

still

to be collected ;

which, however, was not the case.

merely referred to the
a reward.
last letter

efforts

The abductors
(No. 8)

;

The newspapers
then being made to offer

dictated

no answer to the

but closed the negotiation for the

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

:

:

CHARLEY

I08

time being by saying
again, until they

knew

ROSS.

should not hear from them

I

my

conclusions.

In the Public Ledger o{ July 2ist, the following per-

sonal appeared

C R

On

Money

R.

is

How

ready.

shall

I

know your agent?

the following day an answer was received, dated

Burlington, July 2ist, postmarked Camden, N.

J.,

July

22d, and reads as follows
[No.

Burlington, July 21, 1874.

9.

Burlington, July
flictin

to

21.

Ros.

with yu statement in this

comprehend yu nevertheless

Postmarked Camden, July 22, 1874.]

yu statement

momin
we wil

in

Monday Star is so conwe are yet unable

personals that
act

upon yu promise

as if

it

was

made by an angle, in monday Star yu say yu can have no faith in us
neither do we have any faith in yu from the nature of this bisines it is to
be presumed neither can have implicit confidence, the way this bisiness
stands is this yu pay us the money yu are left without anything to bind
us to our promis but our own word which yu say yu do not believe, then
on what ground can we efect the change, we have seen yu own statement that yu would not comply with our terms an yet yu say (the money
is rcdy how shal I no yu agent) the fact of us having yu child and you
having paid us every dollar we demanded what further use could we have
for

him

reason

?

He

has answered the end for which M-e took him

why we

should give him up.

game

ever play the same

in

The

you should

this

lose

after they

is

render the child without a ransom.

we

Do

we would

without the money, no never, never, never!

out to yu.

alive there

Yu

is

but one

way

left

we

gladly sur-

we

never wil alive

Ros, in order to ever get

yu an

must comply with our terms

our agent step by step as

has been

It

not deceive yuself on that, for

could set the child at liberty at any moment, but

yu child

this trick in

a most to great.

stated that since the great outcry of the jjeople that

one

we should
who would

had paid the ransom

yu child we don't say we shal ever play

country again, for the popular outcry

this is

;

is, if

any other part of the country,

have any confidence in getin their child
if

next reason

that

is

the

way we

in every particular,

point

and met

yu mean to act in faith to
The fair an the faulce part is
yu alone we shal presume to act an

instruct yu.

If

us yu can have no objection to this course.
left

with yu to chose, for

the

life

it is

with

of Chailey shal bind yu to yu word,

do not deceive

yuself an

PUBLIC INTEREST IN THE CASE.
think this

on high

is

we

only to frighten yu.

IO9

appeal to the highest power exist

(we solomly swear befor the twelve houses

to bear us witnes.

of heaven so sure as the sun rises in the east an sets in the west, so sure
shall

Charly die

upon us

fal

caution yu

yu

if
stil

more

do yu

child,

yu brake yu promis with us an may the same curse

if

we do

Ros we want

not keep our promis with yu.
for this

desire to

a question involves the

is

make

a change of yu

money

to

or death of

life

for the child if

yu are sincere take advice from us who yu think are yu worst enemies
but in the end yu wil find we were yu best advisers the advice is that if yu
want to regain yu child drop the police entirely have nothing to do with
them while yu are transacting this bisines with us or the whole thing wil
prove a failure an yu child must die if yu mean to ensare us then our

advice

is

ful for

one

enlist al the

power yu can invoke but be sure yu prove succesyu

false step seals the fate of

yu wilin
our

yu

tu put the life of

letters

tu

we have

told

yu child

yu the

Do

at issue

murderer an not us
even unto blood,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

for

i

repeat

in every particular.

One

weep

family

with yu.

one

if

R.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;have

i

of

promise on yu part must an

we

we

shal

stop at

can keep our word

blood but

on yu part will make yu and yu

if

as far

from his hidin place to-day as

money alone can

find

him)

if

these

Ledger personals.

in the

tlie

money ready

as

we

described

we

wil send prof with

to

statements in

yu can no him when he comes.

They

call attention in this letter

and which
is

all

that bind

will agree to the terms in every particular.

a newspaper,

they

In

us.

bond

yu want yu child yu comply with our terms

false step

yu answer the followin

CR
so

is

yu act in faith with us al wil go wel
What have the authorities done towards findin yu child. They
tears of

P. S.

him

with

promise from yu

false

have done nothin yet and they are
suit

false

given yu a prof that

they were on the 6th day of July (yu

terms

test it

it

us, or are

your child and you have none to blame for yu be his

we haveing

nothing until

an

have told yu

yu not believe

of yu child shal be the

life

yu promise ; any stratagem or

shall seal the fate of

We

child.

impossible to ensnare one of our friends.

which

they assume to be

conflict with

the last personal

will nevertheless act

made

to the fact, that

fore the child

is

upon

if

my

promise.

they receive the

given up,

I

will

from me,
;

but that
Allusion

money

be-

have nothing but

no

CHARLEY

word

their

to

rely

They

promise.

upon

would

money

interest to return

fulfillment of their

him;

is

and it would
by so doing, they

paid,

for

inspire confidence in other parents, should they

another child.

steal

for the

reason that they would have no further

use for the child after the

be to their

ROSS.

They

fear,

however, that the excite-

ment which has been produced by
attempt, will prevent their trying

They
free

it

again

this,

their first

in this

country.

assert very emphatically, that they never will set

the child without the

money, and caution

me

again against permitting any interference by the police;

and declare that

if

any treacherous step

is

the child shall be put to death, and that

made by me,
I will

be his

seemed to me that in the previous letters
everything had been said that could be expressed to
terrify and alarm yet in this letter it is declared that I
will be the murderer of my own little son unless thedemands of these cruel wretches be fully complied
with.
Every successive letter bears evidence of an
effort to add some new pang, to intensify the anguish
already inflicted, and to render me so desperate that I
would willingly accede to anything they should demand.
The authorities realized that the whole country was
looking to them to unravel the mystery, and night and
day were in consultation with Mr. Bullitt, Mr. McKean
and others, making almost superhuman efforts to
detect somethmg that would lead to the discovery
of the abductors, and the place in which the child was
concealed yet not a thing was found out that gave the
murderer.

It

;

;

least possible clue to the parties.

The mayor

of the citj^ was called upon

by a number

PUBLIC INTEREST IN THE CASE.
of citizens, and petitions were signed by
requesting

him

Ill

many

others,

as chief magistrate of the city to offer

rewards for the arrest of the perpetrators of the crime,
and the recovery of the child, which he could not do
without the authority of the city councils, and those
bodies had not acted on the matter, and would not

meet again

until

September.

A number of citizens then pledged

themselves to the

Mayor

for the

official

signature the following advertisement was pre-

payment of the

;^20,ooo,

and over

his

pared July 22d, and published in the newspapers the
following day.

was

It

also printed

on large

bills,

and

posted in every conspicuous place in the city and sur-

rounding country.
$20,000

REWARD FOR THE KIDNAPPERS.
Mayor's Office, )
City of Philadelphia, July

At the instance of the

citizens of Philadelphia, I

of

Twenty thousand

of

Charles Brewster Ross,

and the

dollars for the arrest

hereby

22^ 1874.
offer a

J

reward

and conviction of the abductors

son of Christian K. Ross, of Philadelphia,

[ Here follows a deand wagon, and the men, as already given.]
William S. Stokley,

restoration of that child to his parents.

scription of the child, horse

Signed,

Afayor of Philadelphia.

While many persons

in the

cause of humanity were

stimulus of this

was believed that with the
large reward thousands more would be

induced to use

all

doing

all

work on the

case,

for the criminals

The

power,

in their

it

their powers of mind and body to
and that it would now be impossible

long to elude pursuit.

chief of police also published a card, stating that

neither the police nor the detective force

would claim

any part of the reward; but that

all

it

should

be paid to

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
CHARLEY

112

ROSS.

whomsoever would give information

that

would lead

to

the discovery of the criminals and the child.

My fears,

as expressed at the time, were that offering

the reward for the abductors and the child would cause
the kidnappers to

become

fugitives,

and that they would

when it would be more difknew that the writer of the

take the child further away,
ficult to

find either.

We

was in the city or very near to it, from the fact
that the same day on which personals were published,
answers were received. This supposition proved correct for very soon they left our city, and removed the
child further away, and required an increased time
between the receipt of the money and the return of
Charley.
Aroused as the public had been, yet, when the
Mayor's reward was published, the excitement became
much greater statements and rumors (many of tliem
false) were caught up and magnified by newspaper reporters, and extra editions of papers were issued and
sold by thousands.
Letters containing information,
suggestions, and reporting suspicious people and
children that were supposed to resemble Charley,
began now to pour in many of which are interesting,
but will be reserved for subsequent chapters; and still
we were no nearer the accomplishment of our daily and,
nightly wishes and prayers
letters

;

;

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

" Lord,

how

Rescue

My

The words

my

long wilt thou look on

?

soul from their destructions.

darling from the lions."

of the despairing Psalmist seemed literally

to express the feelings of our hearts.

:

:

CHAPTER

V.

LETTERS FROM ABDUCTORS CONTINUED. MEMORABLE
TRIP TO ALBANY, N. Y.

HE following was

dictated as the answer to the

last letter
" I will agree to the terms in every particular."

C. R. R.

It

appeared

in the personal

July 2 2d, and to

column of the Ledger of

the following reply was received on

it

the 24th
[

Philadelphia, July 24

No.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Ros.

10.]

we have

(yu agree to the terms in every particular)
consider yu fuly understand the great an

youself under

we
to

cannot

when you

effect the

any bisines of

this

befor

we

the

mean time yu

finement which

we

kind only

at

our creed

accept yu offer for

yu but

it

is

this

us.

cannot be avoided,

out.

be sory
it

delay

we

that

forbids us

moon an

got tu wate one

may be

the

week

a great

pledge ourselves in

child shal not suffer for any thing only the close con-

is

necesary for his safe keepin.

we have him

feel at ease against all the detective force in the

him

we

such that

we have

we

obligation yu place

a certain quarter of the

just passed over so

can transact any bisines between

sorce of torture tu

we

momentus

assented tu this agreement,

chang to-day.

phace of the moon has

seen yu reply in personal

so that

country ever

feritin

the authorities have offered ^20,000 for the recovery of the

child an detection of us

if

worst thing they could do.
of yu child,

they had yu interest at hart this would be the
this is only oferin a

We told yu at the beginin that yu

from us a live that he was so situated that
instant,

an forever out of

faith in

our word,

al

we

reward for the

sacrifice

child could never be takin

could destroy him in one

prof against us but yu seam to have no

nevertheless yu have nothin to fear on that point

he can never be found by any detective force, neither can any reward no matter how large be any temptation to us to peach one on the
for

(

"3

)

CHARLEY

114
other

we

foi

ROSS.

bound unto death

are sworn an blood

Ros, one week must intervene befor

other away.

lu

never give each

we can

negotiote for

the restoration of Charley by that time there will be an ^100,000 reward
yu will se by that time the detectives can avail yu nothin or yu wil se

we spak

that

yu only

left

trought from the beginin.

in payiu the

ransom

in

was no

that there

good

hope

earthly

an then yu get yu child,

faith

what we mean in good faith is tu set no trap. We no it is not posible
for yu to trap us.
but by any stratigem on yu part or connivance it
wil thwart our perposes an the
result takes place

money

come

wil never

to us.

if this

through any act or connivance of yuse then yu lose yu

(child forever.)

yu do as we

If

instruct

yu an

money

this

gits lost (it

and not yuse) an yu shall git yu child just as if we got
the mony.
no matter what our instruction is for yu to do with the mony
yu do it an yu child shal be restored to yu.
if we tcl yu to bum it up
shal be our los

do so, if we
any one do
lost or not

up

yu

an yu child wil be

to

it

off the

dock do

IS to los in

so, if

we

yu to give

tel

Ros. the whole contract

yu pay us the mony

in

good

to

it

yu wether the mony

restored

through any act of ours.

in these words,

from

throw

tel

so,

gits

sumed

is

denominations

faith in

U. S. notes an no private marks fixed on them, then

we

consider yu have fulfilled yu part and yu shal have yu child restored
safe to yu.

if

vengeance of
told

yu

know

that

not

we

wil transact this bisines with

we

shall

mony

for the

so

is

to

it

cal

have

it

at

shal never cal

till

on yu but once

a minute's notice,
to

life for

will surely

but yu have

have

it

hand

at

yu hear from us a^ain which perhaps

meantime yu and yu family console youself

nothin surprised us more after

yu

we

child,

wel an safe tu yu.

the child an the risk

yu

yu

wil be at the peral of yu child's

it

tu this)

in the

interest of

in the bisines if

which they never can do, t^ey

yu

yu part

(we request no answer
wil be one week,

he has the

due notice wil be given yu when

plenty of time yet.

yu child

us,

sacrificing
it is

if

no nothing about detectives

eigemess to arrest

be the means of

faith to yu,

be an hell, to be our eternal portion,

in for advice or asistance

in their

yet

we invoke the
we have
yu and yu friends only, we

our part in good

fulfil

a true friend wil not advise yu rong

child at heart

them

we do

hell, if there

an to us against

we had

wold be

told

al detective

that

power,

yu the imposibility of

findin

his hidin place

tu the child's life tu find

in disregard of this advise persisted in havin the detectives search

for him.

reward

time wil
signifies

tel

yu that we do not

nothin, with us wether

lie in
it

every word

we

write,

the

be $20,ocÂť or $20,000,000

wil accomplish nothin with us an the authorities wil

fail

it

on that point tu

LETTERS FROM THE ABDUCTORS.
bribe one of us as yu wil se in the end of this bisines.
it

no harm shal

befal

yu child intentionaly

alive.

Ros mark the

selfishness of

of brokers what do they say.
conviction,

do they have yu

lliey are wilin to sacrifice

pay their

mony

to

15

Ros our word for

yu hear from us again 7
his ransom if yu ever expect

til

days by that time yu must be prepared for

him

I

Mr. Stokley an his committe

not one cent for ransom but millions for

no

interest at heart,

yu child that

theirs

have yours restored

first,

be

it is

an then

a selfish motive,

why do

safe,

offer

they not

a reward for

our conviction.

In this letter the writer cautiously professes to rely

on the statement made in the last personal, and postpones the exchange for one week, stating by way of

moon

excuse that the

is

not at a phase for the propitious

This delay he knows

transaction of such business.
torture me, but

is

unavoidable.

will

In the meantime they

pledge themselves that Charley shall not

suffer,

except

from the confinement necessary for his safe keeping.
Of the reward of twenty thousand dollars offered for
the recovery of the child and the arrest of the abduc-

he says that it will avail nothing in the accomplishment of either object, and that they are sworn and
blood-bound not to inform on each other. The ransom
tors,

alone will cause

them

to restore

Charley; ten times

twenty thousand dollars offered as a reward

them

will not

change their plan yet they intimate
that the reward should have been divided, part of it for
the child and the remainder for their arrest, and say
influence

to

;

that the reward as offered

is

intended for the protection

of others, and not for the object of recovering

my

son.

They affirm that if by any stratagem on my part the
money should fail to reach them, the child will be
killed; but if

Charley will

by any

fault of theirs

surely be restored.

it

should be

lost,

They invoke the ven-

CHARLEY

Il6

geance of

hell if

They again

ROSS.

they should not

specify that the

money

fulfil
is

their contract

to be in United

States notes of denominations of ones to tens, without
private

marks of any kind, and

reiterate their

warnings against permitting the detectives to

former

interfere

any way. The cruel threatenings are repeated in
case any deception is attempted, or any treacherous
in

movement

is

made.

was supposed that some superstition had influenced
them in delaying the exchange on account of the moon
It

having passed a certain quarter; but the reason

for the

delay was apparent on the night subsequently fixed for
obtaining the money.
It is clearly stated that in

pursuance of a prearranged

plan the child was to be restored only on receipt of the

ransom, and that no reward would induce them to
change this plan, their purpose being to pursue the business of child-stealing; hence they employed this cruel
threatening, to force a compliance with their demands,

which would not have been necessary had they been
willing to accept a reward.

There

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

one solace they say
and that he shall not suffer for
anything. My recollection goes back to the night after
receiving this letter, when on arriving home I was asked
by my wife whether I had heard anything of Charley
is,

however,

that the child

during the day.
with a heart

in this letter

is well,

full

With an attempt

at cheerfulness, yet

of solicitude for the future,

I replied,

and not suffering for anything.
Her countenance lighted up with an expression that
indicated the happiness she felt on hearing of her dear

yes, he

is

alive

and

well,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

:

LETTERS FROM THE ABDUCTORS.
boy, and gratitude to

But the

Hfe.

God

become

far

and

Charley should be

present with her, lest
or

having thus

for

feeling of anxiety that was,

1

1/

spared his
ever

is still

maltreated,

none but a mother can comprehend,

sick,

a mother whose child has been torn from her by creatures devoid of mercy.

No

answer was required to the

last letter,

but

was
obey

I

instructed to be ready at a minute's warning to

whatever the writer might enjoin.

On

July 28th the next letter was received, and

is

as

follows
[No.

Collected at Second and Arch streets.]

II.

Philada., July

28.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Ros

detectives can render

are

keep yu under the delusion that

we

yu not convinced by

yu no service whatever,

this

time that the

yu agoing let them
they can yet recover yu child an bring

yu the thing

are

we
we

them not
him for yu.
We se in the personals that Mr. Percll a milionaire of New York offers
to pay the required amount to redeem yu child an ask no questions, but
we have no confidence in him neither would we treat with him if he ofus to

justice,

we

neither do

fered one milion in
bisines
to

at

fear

find

hand an no questions asked, in the transaction of this
no one but yu, an if yu suffer these letters

are determined to no

in effectin this

shal hold the child subject to the fulfillment of

fals

step by

change

yu promise an one

yu or by any one acting for yu, yu may consider the bisenes

an end, an the trap has sprung that render further negotiation useles

At the end

to yu.
in

imposible

is

go out of yu hands so that they can personate yu

we
is

we

tel

fear they wil ever find Charley until

of this

week must end

this biseness

;

it

must place him

yu hands safe an sound or must place him in the grave

entirely with yu.

if

extension of time

we

stances

we

wil not.

yu have not the mony
wil keep

We

him

for

are not afraid to keep

force at defiance to find his hidin place.
is, it

signifies

the city,

we

nothin with us

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;they are

No

we return him

to

yu

for

it

is

left

him

matter

for we set the whole
how grate the reward

goin to search every house in

wil give yu the satisfaction to

tel

you he

is

not in the city

home, nor he never wil be again
the ransom, we wil give you the satisfaction

nor ever has been since the day he
unles

;

redeem him an ask for an
yu but under no other circumto

left

CHARLEY

Il8
of knowin that he

is

within

ICX)

is

in

we

our custody,

teld

it

yu in our

we

week,

transact any business for one

we

defy al the

yu sincerely we have prepared
him
is death for yu to find

tel

every emergency an

this place for

while he

miles of this city an yet

we

devels out of hell to find him.

ROSS.

are

we

could not

prepared to

effect the

last letter

now

change as soon as yu be redy, but under no circumstances say yu be redy
when yu be not able to put yu hand on it, an hand it out. rest assured if
our agent cals for it an he does not get it without wailing, he will never

come again an

the our of redemjilion

you former promises we take
yu child

in

good

faith,

of any perfidey or

a box, but

tel

wherever we

direct yu.

from

forever gone by with you.

redeem

unnecessar)' therefore to repeat (he consequences

fals step

we now

is

as granted that yu be agoin to

on yu

yu

we teld yu to put the mony in
mony in a strong, white, leather

part,

to put the

locked an double straped an be prepared to give

valise,

al

is

it

it

if

yu are directed

the friends yu pleas with yu

— but

donl

to cary
let

it

or take

it

yuself yu

the cops

may

know yu

it

take

bisines

nor go with yu unles yu want the bisines to turnout a failure, if yu want
to trap take the whole force with yu an then be sure yu know what yu be
doin
for

—

yu

for

we know what we

to save

yu child

alive,

l)e

if

this is al the caution necesary

doin.

you can have

all

things ready as

we have

directed yu by thursday the 30th insert the folowin in tJu /ra^^r personal

(John

—

it

date that
in these

shall be as
is

men

Ros you may fix any other
Ros yu have sed yu had no confidence

you desire on the 30th.)

convenient for you.

an would not do as they requested yu.

must do as we request yu, or there
this is the

child alive,

If

yu

fail to

This

die.

if

detection

now we
left

is

impossible

if

say yu

yu to save yu

we are

after

promising

pre-

yu do not ransom

yu attempt to arrest any of our agents, he must

comply with the terms

letter

no earthly hope

only alternitive given yu an yu wil find

pared for every emergency,
him, he must

is

—he must

die.

die.

begins with the oft-repeated caution not to

depend on the detectives to discover either the child
or his captors. It alludes to an advertisement that appeared in one of the New York newspapers, in which
the confederates place no confidence, and admonish me
not to allow their letters to be used by any one for the
purpose of effecting an exchange, as they

no other person than myself, and

will recognize

reiterate their

purpose

LETTERS FROM THE ABDUCTORS.
that the

life

The end

the promises.

of the

appointed to close the business, but an exten-

is

sion of time

is

promised

The abductors
in the

19

of the child shall be held subject to the

faithful fulfillment of

week

1

desire

if I

it.

notice the general search for the child

houses of the

and say he

city,

is

neither in the

now, nor has he been since the day he was taken
from his home, and never will be again unless they recity

turn

him

for the

ransom

within 100 miles of this
ils

they further say that he

;

city,

and yet defy

men and

is

dev-

to find him.

They

was formed for
would be death to the child

distinctly declare that the plan

every emergency, and

it

in their keeping.
They
make th^ exchange, and

should he be discovered while

announce
wait

my

their readiness

answer, repeating the consequences of any de-

ception on
in

to

my part,

and requiring the money to be put

a valise instead of a box, with another caution as to

They direct

the detectives.

a personal to be inserted in

the Ledger of July 30th, with the heading changed from
C. R. R. to John,

and close the letter by repeating the
must die unless I ransom him, or

threats that the child
if

any of their agents be
Additional evidence

plot

arrested.
is

given in this letter that the

had been arranged previous

to the abduction,

that the place in which the child

had been

selected,

vent a surprise.

they assumed

be expressed

in
in

was

and

to be secreted

and every precaution taken

to pre-

This accounts for the boldness which
the first letter, and which continued to
every succeeding

that the abductors read attentively

letter.
all

that

It was evident
was published

CHARLEY

120

ROSS.

about the matter

in the daily papers of this city and in
York, as they frequently make quotations from
them, and in a number of their letters they refer to edi-

New

torials that conflict

with their plan of working out the

case.

The

was received on Tuesday, and the time
appointed for the exchange was the end of the week.
No intimation was given where or how it would be
effected, but the money was to be taken from the box
and put in a white leather valise, which was to be locked
and doubled strapped, thus indicating tliat a trip to a
distant place would be proposed.
Captain Heins, with the gentlemen who had volun
teered to assist in unravelling the mystery, and who had
last letter

been deeply interested

in the case, strained

every nerve,

sparing no labor, time nor expense, in endeavoring to
discover a clue to the abductors and the child.

appointed

in

one direction they

all,

diately turned to look elsewhere.

as

Dis-

one man, imme-

They

suffered

no

suspicious person, nor the most minute circumstance, to

pass without being patiently and thoroughly investi-

had been, they were yet hopeful
would meet with ultimate success.
The enormity of the crime, and the stimulus of so
large a reward, made every one vigilant to observe all
gated.

Baffled as they

that their efforts

suspicious people; and persons

who were

traveling with

a child thought to resemble the description of Charley,

were closely watched by the employees
railroad depots,
travelers

by conductors of

occupying the

cars.

at the various

trains, as well as

A number of

of this kind occurred, and were reported

by

instances

by passengers

LETTERS FROM THE ABDUCTORS.

121

on different roads, but generally too late to
Yet, in some cases, persons were detrace them up.
tained until it was decided that the child they had with
them was not my Charley.

on

trains

A

lady of this city with a child having long, light

curly hair, light complexion, about five years old, and

not unlike Charley in appearance, was in the cars at
the

West

setts.

Philadelphia depot, en route for Massachu-

Before the train started some of the passengers,

supposing the child was mine, spoke of
waiting in the depot.

it

to others

Very soon a crowd of

several

hundred persons collected, and insisted that the officer
on duty at the depot must exert his authority, and detain them until the child could be seen by a member of
my family. The officer told the lady he was obliged
to take her and the child to the Central Police Office,
that the people thought she had Charley Ross with
her.
She accompanied him, followed by a few persons,
who reported to others they met that my little boy had
been found, and that they were on their way to the
Soon after their
Central Office to have him identified.
arrival at the office an excited crowd collected, anxious
Happening to call at the Central
to know the result.
Office shortly after their arrival, I at once comprehended
the situation, and asked the lady if the child she had
with her was supposed to be my Charley? She replied
in the affirmative.
I answered immediately, he is not

my

son, but he bears a very striking resemblance to

him; he

is

too large, and

Charbefore leaving home she had

is

certainly older than

ley. The lady then said,
taken the precaution to change the child's clothing from

CHAKLr.V KOSS.

122

a linen suit to a dark one, as she feared difficulty on

the

way

to her destination, having

been informed that

her child had a very striking resemblance to the picture
of my little son, but was glad that they had been stopped

where she had
child.

friends

who knew both

herself and the

In order to avoid any further trouble, she asked

that a paper should be given her certifying that the

was not Charley Ross, which the Chief of Police
by him and myself, and to
which the seal of the city was attached. She left the
office in charge of an escort, followed by a curious
crowd, and apparently pleased that she could feel safe
from further annoyance on her journey.
Another instance occurred in Allentown, PennsylvaI received a letter from a person who, from infornia.
mation obtained from a depot-master, wrote that a man
having a little boy with long curly hair and light complexion had arrived by rail at that place that he had
tlie child's hair cut off and had ordered a suit of new
clothes for him that the man seemed reserved and prevented the child from talking with any one, and that he
had gone away the same night, but in about a week
He was a stranger, and his
afterwards had returned.
whole manner was suspicious. A letter was also received by the Chief of Police from a different person,
child

cheerfully gave her, signed

;

;

giving similar information, adding further that the people believed the child to be

The Chief

Charley Ross.

sent Lieut. Crout of the Reserve Police

Force to investigate the matter.

When

the Lieutenant

arrived in Allentown, he learned that this

man

with the

had been permitted to go away; but getting a
trace of him, he followed in pursuit, telegraphing from
child

LETTIÂŁRS

FROM THE ABDUCTORS.

123

station and making inquiry for the party.
For two days he was unsuccessful in obtaining any inStation to

man and
had crossed the mountains, he obtained a conveyance, determined to overtake them.
He stopped at
formation, and then having learned that the
child

every village to inquire

found persons

if

who had

they had been seen, and soon
seen the

man and

child,

and

more than
who
two years old, and had blue eyes. The same report
being confirmed by different persons, some even putting
the age of the child at less than two years, the Lieutenant, satisfied that he could not be Charley, abandoned
the pursuit. The same man and child were afterwards
in describing the child said he was not

detained at Harrisburg and Pittsburgh.

up the

trail

of another party of

heard at a small village

in

whom

He now took
he accidentally

Luzerne county. Pa.

He

was informed of a gipsy party that had been encamped
near the town, and who had with them a child of a fair
complexion, that they kept closely concealed in a covered

wagon

;

he also learned that they had gone in the
Immediately securing the aid

direction of Danville.

of a person familiar with the country, he went in pursuit
of the gipsies, who, on arriving at Danville, he found
had gone towards Pottsville two days before. The

lieutenant telegraphed a description of the party to the
all the towns between Danville and Pottsand to those of Pottsville, asking them to detain
the gipsies until he could reach them.

authorities of

ville,

The Chief of Police in Pottsville discovered that they
in Hamburg, a village near Reading, and at once

were

telegraphed to the authorities of that place to hold them,
a-ÂŤ it

was suspected

that they

had Charley Ross with

CHARLEY

124

ROSS.

them. They were arrested, and before Lieut. Crout
reached Hamburg, a telegram was sent to Philadelphia,
saying "A party having Charley Ross is detained
here."

The news spread

rapidly through

the

city.

People became almost wild with a new excitement.
Bulletin boards were surrounded

ket streets were thronged

the Central Police Office,

;

Chestnut and Marcrowds of people surrounded
and my place of business was
;

besieged by an excited multitude;

men

hurried from

and
were animated with joyful ex" Extras" were issued, and newsboys ran

their places of business inquiring the latest news,

the countenances of
pectation.

all

through the streets crying out "Charley Ross is found,"
and disposed of their papers as rapidly as they could

hand them

out.

The report was telegraphed to the different places of
summer resort, and telegrams came from all points inquiring

if

the rumor was true.

Mr. Joseph Jones, Vice President of the Reading
Railroad, dispatched a special train in which Kennard

H. Jones, Chief of Police, and my wife's brother, Joseph
Lewis, were rapidly conveyed to Hamburg.
Having been disappointed so often, I was not sanguine
that the child was Charley, and endeavored to mainyet it was impossitain as much calmness as possible

W.

;

ble not to partake of the feeling of hope so universally

manifested.

Hamburg

is

about two hours from Philadelphia, and

the time seemed long for the train to reach

its

destina-

While there was everywhere expressed hope that
Charley was found, low mutterings were uttered indicating that the wretches who had committed the act

tion.

.^^

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

LETTEl^ FROM THE ABDUCTORS.

1

25

would not and should not be protected by the officers;
and a crowd gathered around the railroad depot who
were not slow to express their determination as to what
they purposed doing on the arrival of the train.
About 2 o'clock a message was received " Wrong.
Not Charley." The disappointment to the sympathizing public really seemed greater than it was to those
most deeply interested for the people had not suffered
the disappointments already common to us, nor did

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

;

how easily mistakes are made in identity.
At Hamburg, Chief Jones and Mr. Lewis found an

they appreciate

excited crowd in and near the railroad depot waiting

they were at once conducted to the room
which were the so-called gipsies, and Mr. Lewis at
once announced that the child " is not Charley," and
that he did not bear the slightest resemblance to him.
Shortly after their departure from Hamburg, Lieutenant Crout arrived from Pottsville, and was surprised to
learn that the party he had been following for days had
been the cause of so great an excitement. He was
somewhat chagrined that a message had been sent to
Philadelphia before his arrival, as he believed he could
have decided the matter, so as to have avoided the

their arrival

;

in

furor that

had so greatly disturbed the city.
of the day had not passed away ere

The excitement
I

received the following letter in reply to a personal in

the Ledger of July 30th
[

" John,

It shall

Philadelphia, July
everything

is

wide margin

redy.

30.

:

PERSONAL.]

be as you desire on the 30th."
[ No. 12.]
Ros : from yu answer

everything

for preparation to

is

redy

v^rith

make an

us.

arest if

this

day you signify
give yu a

we now

yu be pleased

to

do

CHARLEY

126
your actioas
think

we

day desides Charley's

this

wether he shall

live

or die.

we

fate

with yu alone

left

is

it

caution once, an the

last

time do not

Ros. you are to take the 12 P. M. train to-night

are trifling.

from West Philadelphia for

A. M.

ROSS.

New

New

York 5.05
N. Y., an nde
4 avenue and 42d streets, take

York,

arrives at

it

take a cab at Cortland or Disbrossers streets,

directly to the

you are

grand central station

M. northern

the 8 A.

to stand

express by

at

way

of hudson river (take notice)

on the rear car and the rear platform from the lime you

leave west phila depot until arrive at jersey city

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

then to stand

^you are

on the rear platform of hudson river car from the time yu leave the
grand central at New York until yu arrive at Albany, if our agent do
not meet yu befor yu arrive in Albany yu wil find a letter in post office
at Albany addressed to C. K. Walter directing yu where yu are then to
Ros the probability is yu may not go one mile before our agent
go.
meets yu and yet yu may go 250 miles before he intercepts you but be it
where it may yu must be prepared to throw the valise to him regardless

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

of

the risk of being lost

all risks,

we assume an yu

get your child with-

be dark the moment the rear car
passes him he wil exhibit a bright torch in one hand an a white flag in
the other hand but if it be light he wil ring a bell with one hand and a
out

these are the signals

fail,

while

flag in the other

band,

:

if it

the instant yu see either of these signals

on the track an yu may get out at the next station, if the
cars continue on their course we consider yu have kept your word, and

yu are

to

drop

it

yu child shal be returned yu safe but
your child's fate
restoration of

yu

is

sealed,

if

this letter

they stop to arrest our agent then

ends

all things in

In this letter the announcement

thing

is

regard to the

child.

is

made

ready for the exchange, and a

fair

that every-

opportunity

be afforded for an arrest They assert that to-day
Charley's fate, and I must not think that
journey is marked out the hour
they are trifling.
of starting is fixed. The detail of the plan by which
will

will decide

A

they expected to get the
letter is closed

position on

my

by

;

money

is

and the
by any op-

revealed,

a caution, saying that

if

part the plan should be defeated, the

consequences must rest with me.
It will

be observed, that in this

letter

the effort to

Uv>^^

tvv>^

1\W- W/P"

i"W-w>-

Aai

'VV^ '%a/v-V AV^

f"^^^^

Reduced Fac-Simile of Letter Number Twelve.

.

j^

*vlV

W tW^ W- A»Mp^^

U ^^4,1^^,

SfciV-fe

WVj^ tAV^ t/W^

(yNJvMft.owi

^y>^n^

Reduced Fac-Simile of Letter Number Twelve.

'

LETTERS FROM THE ABDUCTORS.
spell the

words wrong

is

not adhered

to,

and with the

exception of words of from two to three
spelling

how

is

generally correct.

It will

letters,

the

also be noticed

and yet how

specifically the directions are given,

concisely

I3I

nothing being omitted, nothing superfluous.

;

July 30th, 1874, came on Thursday; the letter was received about four o'clock in the afternoon, and arrange-

ments were to be made during the afternoon and evening
as to what action should be taken on the letter. Greatly
agitated, as my reader may r.eadily imagine, I took
the letter to Mr. McKean, and following his advice, a
meeting of the following persons, Mr. W. V. McKean,

John

C.

Wood,
at

Mr.

Bullitt,

Captain

F. D. Lewis,

Wm.

R.

Heins,

and myself, was held

Bullitt's office, to consult

Detective

in the

evening

together regarding the

letter.

At

felt that a crisis had
had
been
reached where posiarrived, and
tive action was demanded.
The time for consultation
was short it was difficult to determine what course to
pursue; but after an interchange of opinions, it was
unanimously agreed that I must go as directed in the
letter, and that advantage must be taken of this oppor-

meeting

the

every one

that a point

;

tunity to reach the abductors with a letter containing a

my

and demanding a more
them than was
It was
possible through the personals of a newspaper.
thought best that my nephew, F. D. Lewis, and an
officer in citizen's dress, should go with me on this fearful trip, which appeared to be fraught with such momen-

clear statement of
direct

mode

position,

of communicating with

tous consequences.

A

letter

having been prepared was put

in the valise,

:

:

132

CHARLEY

and a copy fastened

to the outside of it

ROSS.

The

letter is

as follows
Philadelphia, July ^o^ '^74'

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Your

Sir

of this date

letter

and suspense of the

suffering

through, but

am

I

compelled

received.

is

you

to tell

am

I

weeks

terrible four

anxious to end the

that 1

that I cannot

thousand dollars on the wild plan you suggest.

have

just

passed

throw away twenty

It is

a plan where

all

the chances are on your side, and I have not the smallest assurance that
I will ever get

me

for

to give

me my

to bring

in

my

good

faith,

dear child into

my

you twenty thousand
child at

possession again.

dollars (j20,ooo),

some subsequent

time.

trust to

I desire to act

but as your whole correspondence leads

must

impossible

It is

and

me

you

with you

strongly to

upon having some positive, tangible
proof that you have the child, and that after receiving this I must in
some way and at some place suggested by you, meet either you or yours
and see that you have my child in my presence, so that I may take him
suspect deception, I

insist

simultaneously with your receiving the money,

from you
I

in Philadelphia in

have come here

answer

in response to

I shall look for a letter

to this.

your

call

with a friend (not an

officer)

as suggested by you in your letter of 28lh instant, and in so doing have

complied so far as a reasonable man can with your plan. I cannot give
you one cent until I see my child before me. It is my purpose, as I have
said, to act in

good

faith

;

but I must, before going further, receive every

assurance which can possibly be given me,

and second,
of the

that his delivery to

money

I will

add

me

will

mode

have used

I

is

you have the child,

mode

in

we

are doing.

of communication.

Arrangements

for the trip

compliance with your

not satisfactory to me, as

the police and everybody else of what
better

that

to you.
that the public

suggestions of answering your letters

some

first,

be simultaneous with the delivery

We
C.

it

informs

must have

K. Ross.

having been completed,

my

nephew and myself left Mr. Bullitt's office at 1 1:30 for
the New York depot, where we were joined by the officer,
and by the courtesy of the superintendent of trains on
the Pennsylvania railroad, permission was granted

me

to occupy the platform of the last car of the train.

At

12 o'clock, midnight, the train

moved

off.

The

LETTERS FROM THE ABDUCTORS.

moon was

full,

not a cloud was to be seen; objects could

be discerned almost as clearly as

we now understood

sun, and

was not

in the right quarter

in the full light of the

the reason
'*

moon would be

the

ate to see

full,

why

the

moon

to transact the business,"

A night was selected

as stated in the letter of July 24th.

when

I33

to enable their confeder-

they were being watched, as well as to see

if

when

would be dropped from the car. In
it was expressly mentioned that
the probability was that I should not have to go one
mile before I might see the signal, and yet I might have
to go the 250 miles.
These instructions necessarily
kept me on the look-out from the moment I left the
the valise

it

the letter of July 30th,

depot in West Philadelphia until

New

I arrived in

Albany,

York.

As

my attention was
wood, and bank of earth, and

the train dashed rapidly along,

attracted

by every

pile of

bush, and post, and building, along the road, in the expectation of seeing

someone jumping out from

ing place displaying the torch and

flag,

the valise to be thrown from the car.

kept up a painful

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

for five

flutter

mortal hours

his hid-

the signal for

This of course

of anxiety over the whole route

my

brain and eyes were in a

fixed agony.

To guard
valise

the

from

officer,

against any attempt being

me

at

any of the

before the train

made

to take the

stations along the road,

came

to a full stop,

of the car on the platform, and as the train

again resumed his seat, leaving

me

came out

moved on

alone until the next

was approached. The singularity of my position was commented on by those who saw me, and the
servant who had charge of the car (a sleeping car) said:

station

;

CHARLEY

134

ROSS.

"

That man must have a pile of money in that valise he
has been standing there ever since we left the depot in
Philadelphia, and he has two men with him to guard
:

We

him."

arrived in

New York

about

five

o'clock in

the morning, without having seen any signal whatsoever.

There was not time, after
make the trip, to change

it

was determined

my

that

I

must

clothing, or to even pro-

cure an overcoat, so that the dense mist which arose

from the swamps of

New

Jersey saturated

my

light flan-

had become thoroughly wet and chilled,
and being greatly fatigued by holding fast to the railing,
lest I should be thrown from the car, and being worn
out from standing so long a time, I was truly thankful
nel suit,

and

I

when we reached Jersey City.
Crossing the river, we took
street

and were driven

at

a carriage at Desbrosses

once to the Grand Central de-

pot, as instructed in the last letter.

At

eight o'clock

same morning, we took the train via Hudson River
railroad for Albany.
Again I took my position on the
rear platform of the last car, and being somewhat refreshed by a rest of about two hours, the first fifty miles
was traveled without any feeling of fatigue. But about
eleven o'clock the heat of the sun became oppressive
the wind whirled the dense smoke from the engine
backwards into my face, and tlie dust made by the train
the

thundering along enveloped

and yet

my

me

in

a continuous cloud,

object was to look, watch, see, and act on

The railroad following the tortuous course
Hudson River, as every one who has traveled on
knows, is very crooked, with many short curves at

the insta7it.

of the
it

close intervals, so that with the valise in one hand,
witli the

and

other hand firmly grasping the railing of the

LETTERS FROM THE ABDUCTORS.

I35

car, it was more and more difficult as I became more
and more exhausted, to maintain my hold on the platform of the car. The valise had now become as heavy

as lead, although

was designed

it

contained nothing but the letter that

to reach the abductors

:

and

I

became so

wearied out that, after standing on one foot and then on
the other, after changing the valise from one hand to the

other and then back again, after taking every possible
position consistent with an approach to comfort, I

felt

must give up, and sit down in the car; but the
constant thought was present with me, " If you do, you
will miss the signal."
And yet a greater strain was on
my brain than on my body, to say nothing of the dead
weight upon my heart.
As the train wound along around hill, bank and tree,
each instant that a railroad flagman appeared waving
that I

his white or red flag, as a signal to the passing train, I

involuntarily braced myself to throw off the valise.

So
was but an instant to
decide whether the man had a bell or not, and momentarily I was on the point of dropping the valise.
Notswiftly sped the train that there

withstanding the necessity of keeping a constant look-

and in spite of the fact that a few moments* inatmight render the whole expedition void, I was
more than once on the point of giving up, from utter
inability to keep my feet.
And when Albany came in
sight, I was so glad and thankful that, for the moment,
I lost a sense of the disappointment, which soon afl:er
returned to me with aggravated intensity. Begrimed
with smoke and dust, I arrived in Albany about one

out,

tention

o'clock, without seeing the

man waving

a white flag in

one hand and ringing a bell with the other

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;the signal

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

:

CHARLEY

136

'

ROSS.

which the writer of the letter stated I should see on this
memorable trip. As soon as we had dinner we inquired
at the post-office for a letter addressed to C.

according to the instructions

in

the

K. Walter,

letter, in

was not seen before reaching Albany.

signal

ting a letter during that day,

we remained

case the

Not

get-

there until

I was so thoroughly fatigued by
by the continuous strain on my
when in the afternoon I attempted

the following morning.

the trip and exhausted

nervous system, that
to rest,

was impossible

it

to change the current of

for

me

to remain quiet, and

my thoughts

I

walked over the

city the remainder of the day.

We

Albany

left

for

home

the following morning

(Saturday) at ten o'clock, A. M., after having called at

number of times and failed to
and arrived in Germantown about seven
o'clock the same evening.
During our^absence the following letter was received

the Albany post-office a
get a

at

letter,

my place
Phiia

told

way

Ros

31 July.

yu to be

at

up but yu seem
gitin

of business

redy to

yu
to

store

to us

on thursday and

some child

much harm

for they wil
if

home

after

we had

instruct our agent to
if

yu are

with but
worst

trifling
if

men

time

would be

we

all settled

we supposed yu wer

there,

if

yu ever expect to git yu child yu
is

no other

existin

powers

to let the detectives take their

that

own way

do yu no good and we don't think they
last letter instructed you and let

yu had done as the

the potsvill affair alone yu
safe at

at the

it.

else for there

we have told yu

an do as they pleas

faith in us whatever,

this bisines

change yu were as the Evening Star stated on you

and no one

can restore him

can do

[No. 13.]
to have no

Yu seem

pay no attention to

effect the

to potsvill to see

must look

:

would now have the plasure of seeing yu child
seen that yu had gone to potsvill

meet yu from the

with us yu wil find

we

fact

we

thought

it

we

did not

was no

use.

are not the right party to be trifled

yu mean squar bisines with us although we are perhaps the

in the

world we wil act honorably with yu in

this affair,

we

LETTERS FROM THE ABDUCTORS.
told

yu the

last letter

we would keep

was the only one yu should ever

our word but

befor yu started for potsvill.

we

tel

to save

yu candidly that yu child

family or that his hair

is

is

yu

your childs hair

no disfigurement whatever

the

to save

same length

it

ever

not redeem

him we

we have

shal never digress

told

from

was an

kept where no

can behold him yu have expressed the opinion that
with such an idea

or

only trouble in vain

it is

that

is

woman

yu further troble pay no

yu what

that,

there

human

we would git

keeping him an turn him over to some charitable
flatter yurself

it

an vexation in

found here, and found there,

is

him but he

in

an

yu did not get

not in the possession of any

cut off short,

is

reseive from us

al further trouble

attention to any telegrams of that description for
for yu.

3/

are inclined to think

runing around to false reports that yu child

we

1

tired of

institution.

his

end

is

eye

is, if

dont

yu do

he wil never be taken

from the place he is now concealed unless he is brought out to be restored
Ros. if yu want to redeem yu child yu must come to us. you can
to yu.
reach us through the personals of the Ledger or Evening Star,
address

In this letter they accuse me of a lack of faith in
them, because they saw it stated in a newspaper that

had gone to Pottsville to see a child on the day they
had fixed to get the money, and in consequence did
not instruct their agent to meet me; and say that
I

although they did not intend writing to
they think

I

may

me

again, yet

not have received the last letter

before starting for Pottsville.

They say

(to

prevent further trouble to

ing after children) that

Charley

is

me

in look-

not in possession, of

woman

or of any family, that his hair has not been
and that he has not been disfigured, but is kept
where no human eye can behold him, and that he will
not be handed over to any charitable institution also
that he will never be taken from the place in which he
is now concealed,
unless he is brought out to be
restored to me and they close by indicating the papers

a

cut

off,

;

;

CHARLEY

138

through which

I

can address them, and pledge them-

selves that in ten hours the

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

that

is,

ROSS.

they can have the

whole matter can be ended
money and I the child.

It was stated in one of the early editions of an afternoon paper that I had gone to Hamburg to see the
child that was detained in that place; but this was a
mistake, and was corrected in the later papers.
The route as marked out by the abductors was rigidly and faithfully followed, and it was with no little
disappointment that I received the above letter, which
continued the suspense in which I had been kept, and
which, by again repeating the cruel threatenings, with
the addition that Charley was so closely confined as
not to be seen by any one, aggravated the suffering
which I was already enduring.
The next day, Sunday, after my return from Albany,
my nephew and I went to the city to learn if anything
had been found out while we were absent The letter
from the abductors had been received on Saturday and
was given to us to read and the following personal
was prepared at the residence of Mr. John C. Bullitt,
who, with Mr. W. V. McKean and Captain Heins, had
met my nephew and myself, to hear our report of the
trip to Albany, and to confer together as to what further should be done.
The following personal was prepared, and appeared in the ledger on Monday morning, August 3d:
;

"John, your directions were followed, you did not keep faith. Point
some sure and less public way of communicating either by letter or

out

person."

The abductors in their last letter indicated the way
they proposed to get the money, and their instructions

—

LETTERS FROM THE ABDUCTORS.
were followed out

1

39

but as they failed to perform their

;

part of the agreement, they did not get the letter in the

and therefore

valise,

it

was deemed best to re-open the

correspondence immediately.

The

personal was prepared to inspire them with

confidence that

had acted in good faith by obeying
and at the same time reflecting on

I

their instructions,

the failure to carry out their part of the contract.

embodied the main object of our letter, which
get into more direct and closer communication

It also

was

to

with them.

On

August an answer came

the 4th of

which

is

[No.

Received August

14.

Phila. Aug,

3.

entirely a mistake

— Ros—

we saw

with us.

4, 1874, in the

morning.]

in not keepin our apointment with

from the

yu had gone

star that

hand,

to

as follows:

fact of

to potsvill

yu was

havin seen a statement in evening

on the day you was

to setle this bisines

the mistake but not in time to communicate with our

we directed yu. Yu say yu want us to
some sure way by which this money can be transmited to us
of course we can not call on yu personaly neither can we receive it by
letter.
Ros We will make the followin proposition to yu and if yu
comply with the terms propounded we wil settle this bisines in very
agent or to notify yu not to go as

point out

—

quick time satisfactory to both parties concerned so far as the restoration
of your child
in as

is

We

concerned.

good health

when he

as

lowin proposition and stake the

yu

assure

left

that

yu home

life

yu child

—do yu

is

now

well and

consent to the

of Charley on the faith

of

fol-

yu

promise.
Proposition

agent

1st.

when he

Proposition 2d.

not folow
contains

him

—not

Yu
Yu

hand the box with

notify

the

amount

in to our

store.

hand him the box, ask him no questions
^not tel him what the box
to folow him
the detectives so they can folow him not do anywil

—not put any one

thing that wil interupt

Do yu

wil

yu

calls to

agree to the

its

first

—

—

transit to us.

and second proposition while we hold the

of Qiarley to bind yu to yur promise.

life

Remember when yu promise

CHARLEY

140
your word

life

is

or death to yu child.

answer the folowing
agree to the

1st

ROSS.

and 2d

The

propositions.)

in al our letters about the detectives to

promise bisines
terfear

and

child,

we

is

not that

baffle us

told

yu

in

if

you

yu consent

we

to these terms

to save time.

reason

keep them ignorant of

fear detection but

(John

i

we have warned yu

we now

this

com-

they wil in-

from receiving the money and yu from giting yu
our

last this

mistak on our part therefor

redeem yu son

If

Ledger or Evening Star

in

wil.

corrospondonce must end but

it

was a

we be wilin to give yu a fair opportunity to
when our agent call on yu he will give yu a

symbol of which yu wil previously receive a facsimilar so there wil be
no posibly mistake in him, if there be it shal be our loss and not yours
providing yu do as instructed,

yu get yu child

just as if

we

if

we

lose the

money through our agent

got every dollar.

Here the abductors say they were misled by the
statement in the newspaper that I had gone to Pottsville, and did not discover it in time to notify me or to
communicate with their agent.
They misconstrued
part of the last personal, and declare that Charley is
in as good health as he was when he was taken from
his home.
They make two propositions to which they

my assent, and present another way to obtain the
money, again warning me against permitting the detect-

ask

ives interfering to prevent the

and say that the

money

reaching them,

suspended on the
faith of my word.
The person whom they will send
for the box will be furnished with a symbol of which
they will send me a fac-simile, to prevent any mistake
being made in recognizing the proper messenger; and
say that

if I

life

of the child

follow their

is

instructions

and any

loss

occurs through their agent, the child will nevertheless

As before stated, it was a matter of
much speculation as to how the abductors could get
the money and restore the child without detection; but
be restored to me.

having the advantage of being unknown to

us,

and the

LETTERS FROM THE ABDUCTORS.

of the child being held for the faithful performance

life

of

I4I

all

their

money was
be restored,

demands, and requiring ten hours

ing ways to accomplish their object,

be assured that
doubted, as

the

after

by them before the child would
there seemed to be no difficulty in adoptreceived

is

I

would

act

in

evident from the

if

good

they could only

faith:

many

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

this

they

cautions in their

letters.

The

propositions they

make

in the last letter are

based entirely on their word, and so guarded is the
second one, that no point is left uncovered that might
lead to their detection.

They

profess to understand

" Point out some sure
way of communicating, either by letter
or otherwise," to mean that some sure way of transmitting the money to them should be suggested; while
the object, as clearly stated, was to get into a more
sure and less public way of addressing them than
through the limited medium of the daily papers, to

the expression in the personal.

and

less public

which

I had been confined.
was now resolved that any answers subsequently
to be made through the personal columns of the papers,
should be such as might be suggested by the circumstances as they should arise, and not to be circumscribed
by such words as the abductors chose to dictate. This

child from us.
yu requested a more siu-e way of paying yu
money for yu child we agreed to give yu a satisfactory way which would
have made the change sure and safe for yu and safe for us, the way we

propounded was the sure test of your sincerity and yu answer implies
distinctly that yu son is not worth that amount to save him, yu may be
entertaining the idea that

yu

wil find

and

plainly

when

it

b

if

the

money

is

to late that this

not paid

was a

positively that the chjjnces of

we will

turn

grate mistake,

him

loose,

we

tel

yu

yu ever geting yu child again

ninety-nine out of an hundred against yu.

if

is

yu do not redeem him he

good as the money to us for we have him for reference though
we may never work this thing in this country again, be where it may
we have the Ros child to show that we do about what we say when we
is just as

told yu your child should stand responsible for our

word to us we ment
what we said and any perfidy on yu part would have brought
instant death on his head,
now we are convinced that you would not
keep faith with us, if yu could violate it with impunity to yu child and
just

yet

we do

not blame yu for that, and yet

produce the child and hand him over

money

the thing

to us.

is

for

effect the

change

do yu supose
you the

for life,

in canidy in that

we

way, but

we

it

looks as

if

yu dont want

yu must redeem him on yu own terms.

we

repeat

us,

and we are sure yu never

are not

tc

we

find that cannot be,

yu could hold us there on robbery and extortion

at least

we

did think once that

us here and then yu would have us on the whole.
the case stands now,

we would
yu paid the

that

instant

absurd to think of such a change,

redy yet to have chains put on us

might

to

until

yu could get

Mr. Ros the way

redeem yu
That

is

child, or

impossible

If yu ever get him from
him from any other than us,
yu have got to come to us on our own terms and our terms wil be more
stringent than ever.
One has suggested to redeem yu child with counterfeit money
another to mark all the money, and then we could be
traped after with the money. We say if yu had redeemed yu child
with counterfit money, or with money privately marked, we would not
restored yu child till yu had replace the marked money double-fold.
A woman has proposed to Tagget to produce Charley and his abductors
it,

that

;

is

absolutely impossible.
will get

LETTERS FROM THE ABDUCTORS.
This will be by

for j^5,ooo.
for

we

wil never restor

when we found

named,

goin to throw

ofiF

have raised hell
that

we

ing

it

if

in such

ment

far the cheapest

one dollar

for

and sympathised

so,

away

that they

why

bisines

for

to git

yu

child,

we first
good, we were

was not

yu

in offring such large rewards

but they took good care in

would never have

did they not offer so
the reason

for the abductors,

pay a dollar

yu

for

than the amount

out yu circumstances

wards might have to be paid,
to

way

less

one-half the amount an accept ^10,000 but the public

have the whole or none,

shall

they

much

him

I43

but

is

much

for the child

it.

and so

they thought one or the other re-

we

for either child or us.

offer-

pay one dollar of

to

dont think they would ever have

yu wil

find the truth of this in the

end (if i no myself). Mr. Ross we leave the city to-night, we shal not
communicate with yu any more unless yu can satisfy us yu want to re-

deem yu

which wil be ^20,000 and not one dollar
we prescribe, when yu receive this we
shall be at least 200 miles from here we leave the detectives of phila and
Mr tagget to work out their clues, we think we have left no clues
behind us. Charley wil remain where he was taken the second night
after he left home,
if Mr tagget can find a clue to that place he wil no
less

and

it

child on our terms

must be paid

doubt get the reward

to us as

we have no

never come out of there,

ransom brings him

out.

we

feminines into that place,

are not destitute of a

shal never starve to death if death
instant as the lightning strock itself.
to us

it

tomb

shal be his everlasting

it

it

charley will

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;unless

few dollars

come upon him

must be,

it

shal

Mr. Ros,

if

you have anything

must be through the personals of

the

yet, charley

as

to say

New York Herald, we can see

where ever we are and no doubt every day, we shal notice nothing
only from you. no matter what propositions others may make they wil receive no attention, yu say the action must be symultanious from the nature

that,

of this bisines that can never be, so that ends the bisines
ours after the receipt of

marked

al up,

to yu.

this

if

we found

it

we told yu

in 10

genuine, and not secretly

yu would then get yu child in our way of passing him over

we

does not suit yu so

and the detectives

In this

mony

to

letter,

they proposed

work out

own way

of giting

the abductors say that unless the terms
are complied

ninety- nine out of a

the child, and that

would consent

wil leave yu to yu

their clues.

it

with, the

hundred against
is

me

chances are
ever getting

too absurd to think that they

to a simultaneous exchange, as they will

not run the risk of being imprisoned for

life.

CHARLEY

144

They

ROSS.

re-affirm that if the child

me, they

will kill

may know

is

not redeemed by

him, and refer to his

fate, tliat

others

that they will execute their threats should

they steal another child
feeling that has

but on account of the public
been aroused, they intimate that they

will not attempt

it

again

;

in this

They say they once thought

country.
that they

might be able

to effect the exchange in Canada, but find that they

could be held there for robbery and extortion, and be

brought back to the United

They

States.

had been suggested to give them
counterfeit and marked money, and add that if I attempted to do so, the child would be held until twofold the amount had been paid to them.
They mention having discovered that my circumstances are not what they supposed them to be, and
that they had thought of abating one-half of the
amount of the ransom but since the public had become so much interested, and offered so large a reward,
they will adhere to their original demand.
notice that

it

;

They again say
their arrest

that the reward as offered, both for

and the recovery of the

ranged that the persons offering

it

child,

was so

ar-

never expected to

be called upon to pay it, as

it would be impossible either
them or the child.
They announce their intention of leaving the city the
same night, and that they will be at least 200 miles
distant by the time their letter reaches me and that

to find

;

they will not write to

me

will agree to their terms.

again unless

They

I

signify that I

sneeringly advise the

detectives to run out their clues, claiming that they

have

left

no clues behind them by which they can be

LETTERS FROM THE ABDUCTORS.

I45

and declare that Charley will remain where he
was put on the second night after he was stolen, and
that he shall not starve to death, but if killed, his
death will be as sudden as a flash of lightning and
traced

;

;

by informing me

close the letter

any
communication that I may wish to make to them, shall
be through the medium of the New York Herald.
Notwithstanding the great length of this letter, the
careful reader will observe
is

guarded, and

how

how

cautiously every step

tenaciously the kidnappers hold to

every advantage already secured.
in this

that hereafter

There was no way

country by which the child could be restored at

moment that the money was paid, without
exposing themselves to detection and the consequent
risks.
And as there is no clause in the extradition

the same

treaty with England, covering this specific offense, they

sought to

whether it was not possible to offer
terms that would be more likely to be accepted in
Canada. But they found out that if they should be
find out

demanded on the charge

arrested there, they could be

of robbery and extortion, and brought to the United
States for

When

I

trial.

discovered that the abductors had thought

of effecting the change in the British Provinces, and

was not included

that the crime of kidnapping

in the

extradition treaty with any country, I wrote to General

Simon Cameron, chairman of the Committee on

Foreign Relations, (who has

known me from my boy-

hood,) suggesting that for the protection of the people
of our country
stealing children

in

case

for the

crime should be included

of any

future

attempts at

purpose of extortion,
in

this

any further additions to

the extradition treaty, and received the following reply:
7

CHARLEY

146

Dear

Sir:

suggestion,

We

if

have

have your

I

any treaty

all

letter

ROSS.

Harrisburg, August J, 1874.
remember your

of the 31st, and will

made.

is

heard of your great aiHiction, and

deep sympathy of

my

family and myself.

I

assure you of the

Your good

father

was

my

many years. Ko purer man ever lived, &c., &c.
you will make no compromise with the bad people who have

friend for very
I trust

stolen your child.

Refuse to give them money, and they will have no

God will protect him. If you pay now,
Canada will be no hiding-place for persons
Only see that the police of your city do their

motive for retaining the boy.

you

will

have

to

pay again.

guilty of so great a crime.

whole duty, and they

will bring the

boy home.

Your Friend,
C.

Simon Cameron.

K. Ross, Esq.

The

public were clamorous for the arrest and punish-

ment of the kidnappers
of the risk to the
terror to

which

life

at

any

of

my

cost, yet

was subjected.

I

were ignorant

child and consequent
It

is

comparatively

easy to sacrifice another man's child for the public

good, and

my

anxious suspense

is

easier conceived

than borne.

Nearly a month had elapsed without getting any
trace of the kidnappers or having

any

intelligence of

the child, except that which was revealed in the

letters,

yet everything that indicated any probability of shedding light on the mystery was thoroughly investigated.

was now determined

It

made

to the last

,

letter,

that

no answer should be

but patiently to wait further

This patient waiting was endured for
weeks before another letter reached us, and in
mean time some vague suspicion pointing to the

developments.
three
tlie

abductors gradually took shape in the eyes of the
authorities, which, as time passed,

more

definite, the details

another chapter.

became more and

of which will be reserved for

:

CHAPTER

VI.

LETTERS OF SYMPATHY AND TRACING OF CHILDREN.

HILE this

cloud of sorrow and suffering hung so

dark over our household,

many

friends visited

Mrs. Ross, endeavoring to cheer and comfort

and by kindness and affectionate sympathy to help
her bear the heavy burden which in the inscrutable
providence of God had been laid on her.
her,

Time does much to assuage

affliction

caused by death;

but a living sorrow, whose burden increases day by day,

who can
Many

bear?
strangers from the city and various parts of

moved by kindly feelings, called on us with
words of sympathy and many proffers of aid. The
memory of these expressions of sympathy will ever be

the Country,

With

cherished by us.
evil in

human
good

far

received from

all

that the

all

our bitter experience of the

nature, we have been continually reminded

outweighs

Many letters were

it.

also

parts of the United States, and from

other countries, expressing similar feelings; selections

from a few of which

may be

of interest

Philips County, Arkansas, 1874.

Christian K. Ross

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Dear Sir:â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

I

have

just received

am

doing

of the child.

It is

boys.

he

is

I

all I

hardly probable that he

somewhere, and

some

letters

one of your little
possibly can to get some clue to the whereabouL"

from a detective agency, stating that you have

if

is

lost

in this state; but

it is

sure

every one will do his duty, he will be found,

(147)

:

:

CHARLEY

148

ROSS.

and the kidnappers also. I know how to sympathize with you in the
loss.
It would be better to know he is dead than as it is.
I hope you will remember my address, and just as soon as he is
recovered (if you shall be so fortunate as to find him) let me know the
Yours Respectfully.

fact.

Christian K. Ross, Esq.

Hudson, "Wisconsin.
I am pained to know

—My Dear Sir:—

no tidings of your little boy have yet been received.
community is touched with sympathy for you. No theme

This whole

that

introduced

is

God

that touches so sensitive a chord in the hearts of all the people.

grant that he

may soon be restored

to

Yours most

your embrace,

is

sincerely,

the prayer of
I. S.

Moffat.

The same gentleman writes again, as follows:
My Dear Sir :— I have, from sympathy in your bereavement,

come

to

Myself and family watch with deep

inter-

est everything that transpires leading to the recovery of the child.

"We

regard you as a near friend.

were

thrilled with the notice a

few days since of a child that would

probably lead to his recovery, but fear
have,

it

has turned out as

A gentleman of this city writes as follows
August
26th
K. Ross—My Dear Sir:—Your note of
the

C.

a likeness of your
direction.
tion,

all others

etc.

lost

boy, reached

me

only

containing

evening, owing to a mis-

last

I take the earliest opportunity of thanking

and assure you

zgtht i8T4.

insl.,

you

for the atten-

I shall treasure the picture as that of

an adopted

child.

You and yours may rest assured that your cause is the cause of the
whole land, and that every heart will be open and every hand raised to
serve in

it,

accomplished.

until success is

Very sincerely yours,

etc,

A gentleman writes thus from Boston, Mass.
ago did
—
K. Ross— Dear

Mr.
you.

my

I believe years

Sir:

C.

heartfelt

sympathy

in

your deep

hardest I ever heard of, and

glad to aid in any way in

if I

my

affliction.

business with

I

Since then I have retired from active business

I think

your case the

can be of any help to you,

power.

I will

be

If you should issue an appeal

to the press of the United States, I think there

would hardly be a news-

paper that would refuse to copy your card, and give
place, without charge.

and you have

life,

There are hundreds of

it

a prominent

families that

do not

:

LETTERS OF SYMPATHY.
know

yet, that

I49

you have had a boy stolen, and Charley Ross may be
some of them and they not know it. My wife and I

living next door to

take such an interest in the case that I feel that with as
I

much

have, that I ought in the cause of humanity spend some of

If you have anything
you can have my gratuitous

you.

Yours

in the

way

of guidance, let

it

leisure as

in helping

me know, and

services.

Samuel T. Holmes.

truly,

This letter was the beginning of a correspondence
which has been kept up to the present time and Mr.
;

Holmes has worked, and

is still

ing to discover the child.

He

working, in endeavor-

has not only spent his

own

time and means, but has also employed others; and
whenever he hears of anything that would seem to shed
light on the mystery, he promptly and energetically
follows it up until it is thoroughly investigated.

Many other letters are in our possession from citizens
own country, expressing similar feelings; but the
above selections will suffice to show how wide-spread
of our

A

the sympathy extended.
will serve to

show

few letters from abroad

that the people in other countries

also felt a similar interest.

A lady writes thus from Scotland:
Mrs. Ross

—Madam —Some time
:

Macduff, Scotland, 1874,
ago

my

father,

who

is

of Macduff, received a notice of the abduction of your son,

We felt very

Brewster Ross.

could see a notice in

saw

in the

My

interested in him,

Aberdeen Weekly " Free Press," of Friday
father

would kindly

let

and mother then wished
us

know

if

close an addressed envelope,

Sir

:

me

to write,

and

trust

am

you

an advertise-

will favor us

stolen your

and see
to you.

if

you

I in-

by sending a reply.

yours,

English lady writes as follows
Diss, Norfolk

—We

last,

who had

your boy had been restored

I

An

Charley

and wished we
any of the papers, but heard nothing more until we

much

naent of the shooting of the burglars, said to be those
son.

Postmaster

.

Co.,

England.

have not been able to obtain any tidings of your darling

:

CHARLEY

150

we

boy, of whose abduction
ago.

;

ROSS.

we

read in the circular

received

some time

have very many times thought of you, and deeply sj-mpathized

I

with you in the loss of such a pet as his photograph represents him, and

May I ask the favor of a line
God grant that he may have been
restored to you ere this, or if not, that this tr)-ing dispensation may be
sanctified to you and yours, and that you may have strength given you to
bear it, and that you may meet your darling where " Thieves do not
have thought of writing before

just to tell us if

break through nor steal."
but

my

to you.

you have found him?

husband and

self

Pardon

me

were so much

for writing to you, a stranger

on receipt of the

affected

circular.

Accept our united kind and sympathetic regards.
I

The same

am

yours respectfully,

.

lady writes a second

letter,

which

is

so ex-

make a

pressive of kindness that I feel constrained to

few extracts from it
Post Office,

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Ross:
written by your nephew.

not heard of your

lost

—I

thank you very

Diss.,

much

was very much disappointed

I

darling boy, and I have

many

England.
for the letter
that

you had

times thought of

him and
to
in

you, and earnestly prayed that he might some day be restored
you unhurt. With this letter I post you a Diss paper, with a piece
it about the dear boy.
My husband was looking at the paper, and

name of Charley Ross. We felt quite
we had known him and you personally.

his eye caught the

read

it

as though

as pleased to
I

am

very

know if you have learned any truthful tidings, or better still,
home again. God grant that it may be so. May I ask the favor

anxious to
if

he

is

of a line from you as soon as you can give

me

the intelh'gence.

I

thank

you very much for his photograph, which I have placed in my album,
and pnze it very much, for as soon as I had your first communication, I
he does look so lovable, etc., etc. My husfelt to love the dear child
band unites with me in kind regards to you both, with the earnest prayer

me with his photograph, which very much rewe called Walter, who was buried last year,

:eman has presented

sembles a darling of ours

aged four years,
I

do hope

of the dear

etc., etc.

by some means you will

that

What

fellow.

little

know what has become
inhuman thing to entice

at least

a heartless, nay,

him away from his home. I trust that a retributive Providence will bring
them to justice. I deeply sympathize with you because your name is
Yours

Ross.

One

truly,

.

of the most touching incidents that occurred

boy was

since our dear Httle

stolen, is related

which

sician in the following letter,

by a phy-

addressed to a

is

brother of Mrs. Ross.
Baltimore, May 30th ^j^.
remember you once told me
that many curious incidents connected with the search for CHARLEY Ross
constituted a remarkable record, and I judged up to that time a record had
been kept. If such is the case, and you desire to add another, which is
^

My Dear

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

Friend Henry Lewis

probably as singular as any,

I

I

have pleasure in communicating the

following

Some time

since I visited a hospital for insane in the neighborhood of

which was several times repeated.

name of Charley Ross,
Upon asking my attendant to allow

me

on doing

Baltimore, and in passing a room, I heard the

to enter the apartment, I found,

forty years of age,

and he reached

who was

his

Charley Ross!

I

vigorous

so, a

man

of say

was secured to his seat;
hands convulsively towards me, and cried "I am
am Charley Ross! take me! take me!" He reso maniacal, that he

peated this almost constantly.
I don't

know whether

affected

me

D.

who

C.,)

in this

raves

add

this will

to

your budget any interest; but

the only living thought that seems to possess him,

and bereaved

parents.

shows

It

out the persistent expression of

th'e
it

ceives himself to be the lost one,

comes

?

It

Yours

to

and implores

These few

letters

seems

to

sincerely,

is

that of a lost child

human sympathy not only;
such a degree, that the man con-

depth of

you ever think of having a history prepared of
the proper time

it

Here is a maniac, (he was from Washington,
and moans in the gloomy cell of a lunatic asylum, and
way.

me good

to

be taken home.

this

Do

whole matter when

might come from

it.

Joseph Parrish.

have been selected from among a

CHARLEY

152
large
thy,

number which

ROSS.

are alike in expressions of sympa*

and manifest the

interest

which strangers

felt for

the recovery of the child, wherever the circumstances

of his abduction became known.

from motives wholly

Other letters proceed

different.

Charley was
money by

Scarcely had three days passed after
taken, before attempts were

made

to extort

and by blackmailing. Many letters
have been received from persons professing to know
where Charley was, and stating that for a consideration, information would be given that would lead to his
These letters are generally anonymous, or
recovery.
signed with fictitious names, and request answers
through the newspapers of various cities. All were

false information,

replied to

;

but

in

only a few cases was the correspond-

ence continued, or the writers discovered.

As

early as the 3d of July, a

advertisement

in

man who had

the newspapers, called at

business, and stated that he had found

seen

my

my

place of

Charley on

the

night of the ist of July near the water works, and put
him on the street car, paid his fare, and instructed the

conductor to

let

him

off at the

Germantown

depot.

He

gave the name of the company in whose employ he
but insisted he should be paid for his loss
said he was
;

of time and expense

in

This he was refused

;

coming

to give the information.

but was told

if

his report

was

found to be correct, he would be properly remunerated.
Upon inquiry, he was found to b.e a tramp, who had
taken this plan to get a petty

A few days

afterwards, a

sum

of money.

young man

ported that he had seen a man,

called

and

re-

with a child answering

the description of Charley, get on one of the street

:

:

LETTERS OF SYMPATHY.

153

my

This story seemed so plausible, that

cars.

brother

had the superintendent of the line question every conductor, and found that no person answering the description had been on the cars during the day stated.
This fellow came back to get the reward, and when
accused of making a false report, acknowledged that he
had made up the story, in the expectation of being paid
for

He

it.

plead hard not to be locked up, saying,

"You can do anything you want to me, only let me go."
The following letters were also received, which were
evidently intended to be a scheme of black-mailing, but

which was never

fully carried out.

August

St. Louis,

Mr.

K. Ross.

C.

—Dear Sir —If you have got
:

He

you can get your boy.

is

here in

farm, and has been here for two w^eeks

mine

for safe

my friend

is

keeping

afraid to

;

but to

come

;

1874.

rj,

thousand dollars

possession, living

on a small

he was sent here by a friend of

you the

tell

after

my

five

fact, I

am

tired of the job,

advertise in the personals of the Missouri Republican, of this city

words

M.

be,

B., Proposition

and

him. If you conclude to accept the terms,

Accepted, and put your

name

;

to

let

the

and

it,

then I will write to you again in confidence.
Yours,
P. S.

—^Your boy

get to advertise,

is

and don't forget

M. B.

etc.,

well and happy, but I

am

tired of

M.

B.

in the

personal

Louis newspaper

— Proposition accepted

And

:

send photograph or other proof.

the following reply was received

K. Ross.

C.

St.

for-

that this is confidential.

The advertisement was published
column of the

him; don't

—

you photograph

I

have written to

my

friend,

and cannot

you

shall

ten

days, provided

have positive proof,

my

friend agrees to the proposition.

leave your city at present; you can guess the reason.

and doing

as well as

7*

at present

send

no interference by the detectives,
(photograph and accurate description,) in

as I intended to do: if

any boy can do.

He

cannot

CHARLEY is well,
M. B.

:

CHARLEY

154

— Keep quiet about

S

P.

it,

but I

am

in the

power of

out danger to myself,

and all shall be well.
you without one cent.

this,

he should be sent

about

ROSS.

to

Any way

others.

I will

do

I

my way

If I

had

am

your friend

;

that I can assist you, with-

M.

it.

B.

Nothing more was heard from M. B., and the conclusion arrived at was that he could not send any proof
that he had the child, and was, of course, unable to
carry out his nefarious scheme.

Another attempt

at swindling

Christian K. Ross, Esq.

— Sir:—

as follows

is

New

Y«»rk, July i6, 1874.

the parties connected with the kidnapping of your boy,

me

send

the information which

through

The

and the other half

^^150 (half the reward)

party to

whom

I

refer

I

am

now

is

sure

in

lightish

auburn hue,

and

whiskers he used to wear are

full

his figure

is

one of

I will give the address of

rather

York

you agree

to

your son be found

my power

in

is

it

New

if

if

to procure.

His hair

is of a
commanding, and the mustache

all

city.

He

cut off to a narrow goatee.

wears a brown straw hat, narrow rim, and ring with a rose cut on a garnet on his
is at

little

different times in
to Philadelphia

have.

he

is

It is

New

real

If

you send

name

me

that the police

and the principal

city,

by no means unknown

The

York.

seems

—and

gambler

I

to Kenn.ird

my

I

five

the means, I shall go on

can get, and those

I now

have not yet got your boy,
kidnapping

H. Jones

is

for

and

a gambler,

himself.

Ls

I shall proceed to Philadelphia with as

police will have to

have plenty of money,

Frank Rankin, a native of Chicago.
proposition, please answer at once, and

of the party here

If you are disposed to accept

in the

to

have met him four or

me

and work out whatever clues

puzzling to

your

in

He

finger (right hand).

intervals an inveterate

little

delay as possible.

acknowledge our man when he

is

found.

I

The

am,

Very Truly,

sir.
.

My
New

nephew, on receipt of the above letter, went to
York, and representing me, called at the house

named

He

;

but did not find a person named

learned that a

man whose

.

name was James
home; and suspecting

real

was not at
was the writer of the letter, left a note
to which the following reply was received

Knox,

lived there, but

that he

:

1^.

for

him,

:

:

:

LETTERS OF SYMPATHY.

I55

New York.
(Frank?) C. K. Ross Dear Sir : I will be at home to-morrow
The letter you left for me was in mistake sent to Mr. James
at 2 p. m.
Knox, of
street, who used to room with me here.
I have net

—

—

seen Rankin since, but shall do

all I

can to-night.

Yours, very truly,

My

nephew, calling

.

at the

house the next day,

re-

ceived the following note

Frank
no use

Ross, Esq.

in seeing

you

—

I

cannot nnd Rankin

;

therefore there will be

for the present.

.

satisfied him that the fellow avoided an inand that his design was to get one hundred and
dollars, if he could, by the story he had made up.

This note
terview,
fifty

In the early period of the case, a

number of

similar

schemes of extortion were attempted, none of which
however were successful. Subsequently, several wellconcocted plans were laid for various purposes, which
involved considerable labor and expense before we were

These

able to determine their designs.

be given

will

in the order of time.

A class

of notes and letters was received, prompted

apparently by no motive other than a desire to add to
the anguish already inflicted, and wantonly to torture

without any apparent aim.

The

following selections

are given

New York, Jtdy 20, 1874.
Chief of Police Sir
You seem in such a hurry to get Charley
Ross that you are overworking yourself for nothing. Now, my pal and

—

me

—

will not enter the lion's

mouth, as you

may

well suppose

;

but

if

Mr.

Ross don't fork over that ^20,000 mighty quick, he will have a corpse
in a coffin instead of

Charley

or he will have

I said

what

Ross.

he would.

So you

just tell

him

to

hurry up,

One of the Abductors.

Philadelphia, Friday July 24, 1874.
Chief of Police. Sir : I know the party who has the Ross child.
They are resolved not to come to terms unless Mr. Ross agrees. (They

am afraid of the consequences. My
on my part to befriend you, to console

a desire

this

nearer than you have any idea,

but

;

don't

he don't know me, but I

;

Philadelphia, September

Mr. Ross

;

Salue.
going to lake him

watch every covered farm wagon leaving town from

:

Tell Mr. Ross he has a friend here

date.

money

Tell Mr. Ross not to give the

they are getting tired of keeping the boy.

object in writing you

is

you, by giving you the

above information, based on a partial knowUdge of certain transactions.

Have

patience and hope.

Mr. Mayor
selves a

I will see

— Dear Sir:—Your

W.

what can be done.

Philadf.lphia, July sth, iSyspapers seem to trouble them-

city

He

good deal about Charley Ross.

is

not in

New York

they say, and will not be restored as soon as you think.

here two weeks and

by one of the

I

m

or Mr. C.) and the meeting must be

know when and
must

but

I

am

away.

Mr.
for

he

We

how

to catch us, for

will

go

money you would have had your boy

are satisfied, and hope you are also.

If

now

you want

and

over,

is

Had you

it is

to

I
"

Charley,

to get

to Eirrope.

alive;

will

him while
Miss E.

the nigger treats

so the whole matter

we

You

can say no more,

I

—You need not spend any more money
;

down

(Miss E.

the depth of night.

nothing happens.

sleeping soundly in his grave

you need not think
paid the

is if

off this afternoon to see

\fi.

Ross.
is

where, that

paid

me

and he must be alone, and meet

as

have been

I

money must be

hear the talk, but the

city officers,

B. C.

too late.

know

any-

thing further, advertise in the Public Ledger and you will receive an

answer from
he

is

place,

us.

We want ten thousand

dead, and not a very long time.

and we

killed him.

you not mind us ?

dollars to tell

The

where he

detectives

;

but
his

why

did

Let no tears drop from your eyes

No

is

were near
;

Signature.

LETTERS OF SYMPATHY.

None

1

5/

of these parties were ever traced or heard from

afterwards, and although these letters, as well as

others of a similar kind, were

anonymous and

many

disguised,

yet the effect of them was to add poignancy to the sor-

row that we were already enduring.
During the first two weeks after the abduction,
scarcely a day passed without information from some
part of the country, either by telegraph or mail, of children in the possession of suspicious persons, or who had
been brought into villages and cities, and abandoned.
Every case presented to us was investigated until we

had no reference to Charley.
Many cases reported were very quickly sifted, while
others required patience and caution, with a vast
amount of labor and expense, before a conclusion could
be reached. One of the most difficult and prolonged of
these was reported very soon after the abduction.
Near a village in one of the Western States, there
lived a family who were looked upon by their neighbors
with suspicion, because their house was known to be
frequented by strangers who mysteriously appeared and
Shortly after Charley was stolen, a man,
disappeared.
formerly of this city, with a woman and two children,

became

came

satisfied that

it

and made their home with this
The movements of these people gave rise to a
by many living near that something was wrong.

to the village,

family.
belief

After watching them, and getting all information possifrom
ble, the conclusion was reached that the persons
Philadelphia were concerned in the abduction of my
them was
little boy, and that one of the children with

Charley himself
to us, with the

Their surmises were communicated

names of the

parties

who had

resided in

CHARLEY

158

ROSS.

Our informant was requested

Philadelphia.

the matter up in that place, and write us

all

to follow

the partic-

and if possible get a picture of
same time we began to make inquiry
out the character and habits of the man

ulars that transpired,

the child.

At

here to find

the

from Philadelphia while he lived there, as well as the

name

of the

whom

woman who went away

the children with

Our

with him, also to

them belonged.

inquiries resulted in discovering that this

man

had left the city, with the woman, the night my little son
was abducted. Every letter received from our western
informant seemed to add new evidence that we were
about to reach the object of our search.
journeys were reported as being

Frequent night

made by the

parties to

and from neighboring towns in their conversation they
were heard to say that they expected soon to come into
possession of a large sum of money. They announced
that they were going in a certain direction, but would
;

start off in

a directly opposite one.

Strangers visited

away early in the morning;
they had with them a child of about
Charley, and answering in some re-

the house at night, and went

and the

fact that

the same age as

spects to his description, with

many

other suspicious

circumstances, tended to confirm the impression that

they were concerned in concealing,

if

not in taking the

child.

The sheriff and district attorney of the county were
made acquainted with these circumstances by our informant, and the person from Philadelphia was placed

under

arrest.

The

officers telegraphed that the arrest

was made, and inquired what further should be done.
A picture oftlie child was ordered to be taken, and the

LETTERS OF SYMPATHY.

man

to be detained until

it

1

59

could be determined whether

the suspicions were correct or not.

When

the photo-

graph was received, a telegram was immediately returned that the child was not Charley Ross. But the
people were

wrong

still

not satisfied; some believing that a

had been forwarded to us, others that
another child had been substituted and that the true
one had been secretly conveyed away. The authorities
declined to release their prisoner, and held him for trial.
When tried, he was discharged for want of evidence
Yet those living near were even then
against him.
picture

and a continual watch was kept on the susEvery little circumstance
was closely scanned, and the very plausible theory was
suggested that there had been with the suspected persons another child, who had been sent to a confederate
skeptical,

pected house and family.

in St. Louis, Mo., the possible writer of the letters to

Thus when suspicio,ns
city, signed M. B.
awakened a hundred circumstances will be found to
confirm them. While the matter was being investigated
by the authorities here, and the people and authorities
in the county where these events occurred, the Pinkerton detective agency was employed to aid in unraveling
the mystery of the abduction, and to search for the

me

from that

are

parties.

They heard

of this

trail,

and

after

thoroughly

investigating it reached the conclusion that the parties
under surveillance were in no way connected with this

This case was very protracted, having required
several months to arrive at a definite conclusion; in
that
fact many of the people in the locality still believe

crime.

these parties have the child, as several letters recently
received indicate.

CHARLEY

l6o

Not only were we
letter

with the

in

ROSS.

constant communication

by

and other per
but by the kindness and generosit)

district attorney, sheriff,

sons living there,

of Mr. James Merrihew, superintendent of the Western

Union Telegraph Company, the use of a wire was freely
and cheerfully accorded to us, and we were thus put into
direct communication with the parties, and enabled to
converse fully with them.

I feel

great pleasure in say-

ing that the officers of the Western Union Telegraph

Company, from the time of the
taking away of Charley, have

first

felt

public notice of the

a deep interest in the

and have afforded me every facility in running
out supposed clues, and in getting information when it
was desired to have it speedily. Often by the use of
the wires they have ended a suspense which otherwise
would have lasted days or weeks, and frequently have
given us the control of a wire for a whole day, and even
longer when necessary sometimes running a circuit of
two thousand miles. Night or day, they have always
cheerfully telegraphed our questions, and interested the
matter,

;

operators at the various stations to help us in getting
satisfactory replies.
I

should be ungrateful did

knowledge

my

I

not thus publicly ac-

indebtedness to Mr. James Merrihew,

superintendent of the line in Philadelphia, to Mr. Heber
C. Robinson, manager,

chief operators,

and to Messrs. Porter and Zcblin,
cordially and cheer-

who have always so

me upon entering the office, that really it
me to go to them with anything that
Many children supquickly.
decided
have

fully greeted
is

I

a pleasure for
desire to

posed to resemble

my

little

son were traced up

in

a very short time by the facility afforded in the use of

LETTERS OF SYMPATHY.

l6l

the telegraph lines, and the expense of long journeys
often avoided.

Theso gentlemen have become so

famil-

with the details of the case that they frequently

iar

examined matters
their notice

relating to it,^vhich

were brought to

through the medium of the Associated Press,

had the least knowledge of them.
Perhaps the most interesting instance of a child reported to us as being our Charley, occurred in one of
the Southern States; interesting because the child was
before

I

rescued from an irresponsible

who was

woman, not

his mother,

neglecting him, and adopted by those

love him, and intend to care for
children.

It

would

afford

him

as

me much

who

one of their own

pleasure to give a

history of this case; but for prudential reasons I

full

shall

be confined to a mere statement of the circum-

names of the persons

stances, suppressing the

interested,

and the name of the place in which they live. The
child's photograph represents him to be one of the
handsomest children among the many whose portraits

we have
full

He has

received.

round

face, clear

a bright, cheerful expression,

complexion, and large, blue eyes,

the very picture of health.

The

first

information

we had

of this child was by

telegraph as follows:
I believe officers

here nave

very striking, except hair
but

if

his

mamma knew

Upon

is

it

Charley Ross

cut.

He said

his

;

resemblance to picture

name was Charley Ross

;

she would whip him.

receipt of this telegram,

we put

ourselves in

communication through the telegraph with the
child, and asked him many questions, to some of which
his answers were correct.
To the question asked the
child, "What he and his brother Walter played in?"

direct

1

62

CHARLEY

ROSS.

he answered, " a swing machine." Such a machine is
in our yard, in which the children swung.
Joseph W.
Lewis, Mrs. Ross's brother, determined to go to see
Before leaving, he requested the Chief of Police

him.

of the place to write the

photograph of the

From

the letter received,

the following information was obtained

who

and to send a

full particulars,

child.

:

That a

woman

formerly had resided in the place had recently re-

turned, bringing with her a small

sented to

some persons

as an adopted child.

as her

It

boy

own

whom

child,

was asserted

she repre-

and to others

that the

woman

maltreated the child to such a degree that the neigh-

and threatened her with punishment
The attention of the police was
called to the matter, and suspicions were awakened that
the child did not belong to her, and was no other than
the lost Charley Ross. She was placed under arrest,
and the child taken in charge by one of the citizens of
When examined, she told contradictory
the place.
stories, which confirmed the people in the belief that he
was our little boy. As soon as it was noised abroad
in the town that Charley Ross was supposed to be
bors observed
if

she did not

it,

desist.

And when

there, intense excitement prevailed.

came known

way

that a relative of the lost child

to the place, the railroad depot

it

was on

behis

was thronged with

people anxiously awaiting the arrival of the

train.

would prove
Every one was hopeful that the little
Charley. When Mr. Lewis arrived, he
was quickly driven to the house where the child was,
and found him bearing no resemblance to the lost one.
fellow

to be the real

Disappointed, he returned,

home,

"

Wrong."

first

sending the telegram

Many persons did

not think he took

LETTERS OF SYMPATHY.
sufficient time to

163

determine the matter, and

a number of letters after he

left

I

received

the place, saying that

he could not have decided correctly without a longer
examination, and that he did not stop long enough to
It should however be
known, that Charley's uncle had seen him almost
daily from the time he was born, and that comparatively a short time had elapsed since the child had been
taken from his home.
As soon as it was decided that the child was not my
little boy, efforts were made by the citizens to take him
from the woman but it was found it could not be
done, as she had in the meantime received a certificate,
which stated that the child had been transferred to her
husband the preceding March by a person living in
Richmond. This paper gave them a legal right to the
child, and they could not be dispossessed of it unless
by their voluntary consent.
A gentleman residing in the town, who was attracted
by the child, and had become interested in him, at once

ask the child any questions.

;

enteVed into negotiations with the

of their rights to him.

woman

for a transfer

Before, however,

consummat-

ing positive arrangements, he obtained a history of the

were able to give it, and
endeavored to find his parents. Failing to trace him
child as far as these people

further

back than the person who gave him to them,
woman and her husband one thousand
and obtained a legal transfer of the boy to

he gave the
dollars,

hin^self

I

gentleman,

have since received several

who

letters

from the

expresses himself and family as de-

lighted with their

little

Charley, and

the knowledge that the poor

little

we

fellow,

are

happy

who was

in

sup-

:

:

CHARLEY

164

ROSS.

posed to be our Charley, has found such good

foster-

parents.

Another case of more than ordinary

interest

brought to our knowledge about the same time.
following telegram was received by our Mayor

was

The

GOSHKN, N. Y.

Mayor of Philadelphia. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; There
Charley Ross; have had
Ross by

is

a child here

his likeness taken

and sent

I

believe to be

to Christian

K.

James W. Hovt,
Sheriff Orange Co., N. Y,

letter yesterday.

The letter of the sheriff with the picture came to
hand, and an answer was returned, saying, " Not my

A

son."

few days afterward, a gentleman of this city

brought a stranger to see me, and introduced him as
the Rev. Mr. Kenny, late of Havana, Cuba.
Mr.

Kenny stated that while he was in Washington City,
he heard that there had been a great excitement in
Goshen, N. Y., about a child he had left there in charge
of a friend of

his.

I told

him

that the people in the

had supposed he was my little boy, and that the
but that I
sheriff had sent me a picture of the child
had written to him that he was not my son. Mr.
Kenny showed me a photograph like the one sent me
from Goshen. He then related the following history

village

;

of the case

He

was an American missionary of the
One day while walking
through a suburb of Havana his attention was attracted
by the cries of a child upon entering a tent, whence the
sound proceeded, he saw a woman having a heavy leather strap, to which was attached a large buckle with this
she was whipping a child, who was marked with welts,
and great drops of blood were running down from the
said that he

Episcopal Church in Cuba.

;

;

LETTERS OF SYMPATHY.

1

6$

wounds inflicted by the buckle. He remonstrated with
the woman, who was rude and defiant and noticing the
fchild more particularly, he observed that his complexion was much more fair than that of the woman (who
was a Creole), and thought him of American parentage.
Becoming interested he applied to the authorities to
;

investigate the matter,

the child
to

who,

after

an examination, took

away from the woman, and handed him over

Mr. Kenny,

for the

parents or friends.

purpose of trying to find his

After making

all

the inquiry he

possibly could on the island without discovering

any

one to claim him, and being obliged to return to the
United States, he brought the child with him, and tem-

him with a friend in Goshen, N. Y., while
he attended to some business in Washington, D. C.
He said also that he had not decided what he would do
with the boy but intended to act under the advice of
Bishop Doane. Mr. Kenny expressed much sympathy
and regret that the boy found by him was not mine.
During the months of December and January following, I received a number of letters from Cooperstown,
porarily

left

;

N. Y., giving an account of a child in or near that place.

To

these answers were sent, accompanied

by a photo-

graph and description of Charley, and questions to

came which
seemed to indicate that the child was indeed my Charley.
The letters were evidently written by a person
unaccustomed to write, and showed possibly a want of
tact in putting the questions to the child.
They did

ask the child supposed to be he.

not impress

me

Replies

sufficiently with the correctness of the

writer's conclusions as to identity,
definite information

and

I

asked that more

should be sent me, by which

I

could

—

1

CHARLEY

66

ROSS.

determine whether the child was mine or not.

In reply

name of a
" School of the Holy

to this request I received a letter giving the

lady

who

superintendent of the

is

Saviour," in Cooperstown, N. Y., and stating that the
child

was

in

her charge.

I

immediately wrote to her

that a child had been reported to

me

as having been

who was supposed to be my
me a picture and descriptelegraph me her impressions

placed in her institution

son, and desired her to send

and also to
To which request

tion of him,

about the matter.

had the follow-

I

ing telegram and letter:
Cooperstown, January

C K. Ross.
mation.

The
Dear

I refer

you

to Bishop

letter bears the
Sir.

writing you

—

I fear

same

date.

you have been misled.

at

you

to

Bishop Doane,

little

rest assured,

In

who knows

Had there been the
whom the whole

our orphanage.

your dear

The

person

who

has been

a respectable woman, but knows absolutely nothing of

is

the facts relating to Charley Kenny.
referred

for infor-

Susan T. Cooper.

you are mistaken.

I fear

20th^ 1S7J.

Doane, Albany, N. Y.,

boy, in

my

answer by telegraph I

the facts relating to the boy

least probability of his

country

is

interested,

being

you may

we would have written you long before this. The facts
boy now in our house are these. He was found in the

relating to the

hands of a circus company

in

Havana, Cuba.

so cruelly that the authorities interfered.

It

These people treated him
was discovered tliat the

was an American citizen, and an American clergyman passmg
Havana became interested in the child, and finding that he
had no near relatives at hand, inquired carefully into the past history of
child

the winter in

the boy.

So

far as

he could discover the child was an orphan.

The

him some time before. The boy did not know
his father's name ; but said his good mamma used to call him Charley,
while the circus people had given him another name.
Mr. Kenny, the clergyman, has adopted the boy and given him his
own name, and intends to educate him thoroughly. If I remember
He is a
rightly Mr. Kenny brought this boy to New York last spring.
looking six years old tall and robust;
bright, laughing, joyous child
circus people

had

stolen

—

—

LETTERS OF SYMPATHY.
age

his precise

we do

not know, of course

brown, his complexion rather dark than

He

seems

could not possibly have forgotten in so short a time.

were

circus people

have been
friends.

his face is ruddy, not pale.

have no recollection of the name of Ross, which a boy of

to

his intelligence

The

;

their object,

Such are the

of a stolen boy

ti

aining our boy to be a clown

facts as

;

this

it

to the

orphanage, the idea imme-

might be your dear

little

boy

found that Bishop Doane and Mr. Kenny did not conceive

Charley

but

;

I

dare not hope

graph taken and send
child's picture,
hair.

Allow me,

may

I

my

to you.

dear

sir,

should

but

we

possible

should be your dear

have the photo-

I will

do not see any likeness

I

to

in

your

Charley Kenny, except the curly

to express

in this severe affliction.

yet be restored to you.

if this

To-morrow

it.

which you sent me,

you and your family
child

it

;

it

Ross.

one could rejoice more than

lost child

to

to

named Charley coming

that this could be

seems

make money by restoring him to his
given to me. Of course, when we heard

and not

diately suggested itself that

No

6/

and eyes are dark

his hair

;

fair

1

my

heartfelt

God

sympathy with

grant that your dear

Most sincerely yours,

Susan T. Cooper.

When

the photograph was received

it

proved to be

a picture of the same child which had been in Goshen,
^N. Y.
In February, 1875,

I

was

in

Red Bank, N.

a lady living in the place, learning

I

was

J.,

when

there, sent

me to call and see her, as she thought she could
give me information that would be of service in tracing

for

Charley.

She

said that while

on a

visit to

Jersey City,

a strange child had been brought to board near the

by a man who seemed
That he had left the child for a short
time, and then returned and took him away. No one
seemed to know the man or where he had gone. She
described the child and the man. I at once recognized
the Rev. Mr. Kenny and the Cuba child after a little
explanation, she concluded it was he. Thus three times
was this little waif reported to be my Charley, and

place where she had been staying,
to be a priest.

;

:

:

CHARLEY

l68

now

that he has found a

trust

he

good home and kind

prove a blessing to his new

will

who have undertaken

those

ROSS.

case of interest

as follows

is

At a time when

to

friends, I

and to
Another

father,

train him.

:

was absent from home, a lady, a
Sister of Charity of the Catholic Church, who was passing through the city, by a note, asked me to call on
her as she had been requested by the Lady Superior
of a school to see me. She informed my brother, who
called on her, that there had been sent to the institution a child who had some points of resemblance to our
Charley. She gave the name of the place in which
the school is located, and the lady's name who had
charge of it, saying that by writing to her we could get
all the information we desired.
My brother wrote and
requested her to send a photograph and description of

To

the child.

I

this the following reply,

with the picture,

was received
House of Providence, Syracuse, N. Y.

Mr. Ross.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Dear Sir â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Your

letter

of July 29th, in reference to the

interview with a sister from this institution, went astray, but reached
after

a time.

Just then the

ment of the glands of the

little

throat

abatement of the swelling before
enclose
child.

brown

The likeness is perfect, save a sternness not natural to the
him not overlarge for a child five years old. He has

it.

I

think

hair

eyes, his

called a light

a dear

me

mumps or some enlargeor neck, and we decided to await the
having the photograph taken. We now
boy had the

little

brown ;
child,

is

I

neither

light

nor very dark, might perhaps be

think he has dimples in his cheek and chin.

and we are anxious

that

he may be restored

He is

to his par-

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

for we feel what deep, deep sorrow such a loss
would only be too happy did he prove to be your
missing son, that we might be the instruments of restoring joy and happiness to his sorrow-stricken parents, and almost feared to address you, lest
we might add one to the many false hopes raised in the breasts of the

ents if they can be found

must be

father

to

them.

We

and mother, hopes destined
T

am

respectfully yours,

to perish in a

still

more anxious

search.

Sister Beata E. McFarel.

Charley Kenny, brought from Cuba.

f

LETTERS OF SYMPATHY.

The

picture,

1

69

although that of a fine-looking child, did

not in the least resemble our Charley.

Shortly after

receiving the above letter, another lady living in Syra-

cuse wrote to
to

whom

I

me

of a child, describing him,

etc., etc.,

sent one of Charley's pictures, and gave

her some questions to ask the child, and at the same

time asked her
of Providence.
ten to

me

if

she referred to the child in the

She

replied that the child she

House

had

writ-

about was in a school, and that he could not

give satisfactory answers to any of the questions put to

This

him.

letter

confirmed us that the child in the

House of Providence was not Charley.
During the few
the abduction

first

months immediately following

we were almost

daily advised of

child supposed to be our stolen boy.

Many

some

of these

cases were so very encouraging in their circumstances
that our highest hopes were often excited,

and the

dis-

appointment that followed in not realizing the fulfilment
of them, rwas proportionately great.

In time

we

learned,

by sad experience, not to rely too hopefully upon any
story, however probable, or trust too confidingly to any^
theory, however plausible.

every case,
clearly

and

we

Giving slow credence to

allowed none to be passed by without

definitely satisfying ourselves that

they were

not correct.

Very soon

after

the publishing of the reward of

^20,000, which was offered
signature of the

Mayor

by

certain citizens over the

of the city, for the arrest and

conviction of the abductors, and for the recovery of the
child,

a reward of ^2,500 was offered

for

informa-

would lead to the detection of the kidnappers of Charles Brewster Ross, and the name of

tion

that
8

;;

CHARLEY

I/O

ROSS.

the person giving the information to be kept secret,
if

so desired, signed by Joshua Taggart, E. D. G. Car-

lin,

R. A. Lukens, of the Pennsylvania Detective Bu-

The amount

of this reward was subsequently

increased to $5,000.

What resulted from these adverAs this is a private detect-

reau.

tisements

I

ive agency,

but

am

I

do not know.
I

am

not conversant with their operations

aware that

a time they were actively

for

endeavoring to trace the

parties.

As time passed away the mystery became more and
more unfathomable. The regular detective force, together with special officers of the police department,

were working with unusual and constant zeal. Amateur detectives, who had theories of their own about
the matter, were pursuing them with unwearying ardor
but no approach whatever had been made towards a
solution of the enigma, and every one was in entire
ignorance, as to the hiding-place of the kidnappers

or of any clue to

it.

It

may be asked why this great
who had so

difficulty existed in discovering the villains

outraged the sense of the security of the community at
â&#x20AC;˘large

?

In the fact that the

community felt and showed

that they had been so greatly outraged lies the answer
to the question.

As was

very properly stated in an

editorial of one of our daily newspapers,

*'

an essential

difference exists between the abduction of a child for

money, and all other crimes in which the main object
In the case of bank or bond robberies,
is money.
where the plunder is recovered, it is generally through
the medium of third parties there is no discovery or
detection about this, except that which is made by the
:

robbers themselves.

^m

The

kidnappers, in this instance,

;

LETTERS OF SYMPATHY.
dared not use the usual machinery.

I/I

The aroused

an-

ger and absolute purpose of the people deterred them
against attempting to obtain the money.

knew

that they

common

trial

had

by

The

villains

perils to run, besides the risks of a

law.

They were

therefore obliged

to keep themselves and the child in unusual seclusion.

They were compelled

to be in the highest degree wary
and secret, and to be doubly guarded against exposure
which so frequently comes to light by accident, and
which puts the police on the trail of malefactors."
Every theory propounded with regard to the abduction, however wild and extravagant, was fully tested
none were passed by. Some of these required but a
moment's examination to be disposed of conclusively.
Others that had some elements of probability in them,
demanded closer scrutiny, and longer time to sift suffi-

ciently to satisfy us of their worthlessness.

One theory was founded upon
cies

and inaccuracies

and

my

public

refusal to

perusal.

alleged inconsisten-

in the statements of

my son Walter,

submit the anonymous

The

insinuations

thrown

letters for

out,

that

Walter knew more about the disappearance of his
brother than he had told, were based upon variations
in his statements at different times and to different persons,

and on

his failing to

say anything

about his

brother when he was found in Richmond, and from
my prohibiting him from communicating with reporters
and others. The inference drawn from these alleged
circumstances was that the child had been trained to
tell his story, and that myself or some member of my
family were the guilty ones.
It should be remembered that Walter was a child

CHARLEY

\J2

ROSS.
^

t
not yet six years old,

and that during the first few
day passed without many persons interviewing and talking to him on
the subject, and newspaper reporters from our own as
well as other cities visited my office or my house during my absence, who, anxious to get an item, and with
very little judgment or discretion, put leading questions
to the child, and caused him to say things not mentioned by him immediately after the abduction.
He
was thus kept continually in an excited, nervous condition, and at last it became absolutely necessary that I
should prohibit any one from talking to him about the

weeks

after the abduction, scarcely a

matter, except those interested in getting information
for the

purpose of unraveling the mystery.

However,

subsequent events conclusively proved that the child's

With regard to
when he was found in Rich-

statements were remarkably correct.
his not saying anything

mond, about his brother Charley, the little fellow
showed such evidences of alarm, even when I met him
near his home, that when I inquired where he had been
he was not able to give me any answer, and in his excitement and alarm, evidently forgot to say anything
about his brother.
This theory, although conveying an unnatural and
like all others was fully examined
by those capable of judging, and may be

monstrous suspicion,

and

criticised

classed, with

many

other similar ones, as one of the ab-

surdities of the sad case.

red

to,

only that

it

This would not

now be refer-

continued to be repeated for several

months

after the slander had been thoroughly exploded.
have now arrived at a period where the first ray
of light was shed on this dark and wicked secret, which

We

shall

be reserved

for the

succeeding chapter.

CHAPTER

VII.

THE REAL ABDUCTORS SUSPECTED

EMPLOYMENT OF THE
fINKERTON DETECTIVE AGENCY IN THE SEARCH.

OUR weeks had passed away, and notwithstanding the almost superhuman efforts in this city
by the poHce, and by those who were interested
with them, to trace the abductors and to find Charley,
not the shghtest clue to either had been discovered. Sp

when

effectually did the kidnappers cover their tracks

was truly said by them in their
last letter, " We think we have left no clues behind us."
Still the search was prosecuted without cessation
professional pride and duty, combined with personal feeling
and sympathy, stimulating the police to every possible
they

left

our

city, that

it

;

exertion.

All

felt

the highest interest in finding the

stolen child, and in bringing the miscreants to justice.

great

by

amount of

difficult

practised men,

work was

skilfully

A

performed

whose time and energies had been

engrossed for a whole month on this single object; yet
they never wearied in the pursuit for an hour, believing
they would finally be successful.

To

us

month

who were most

deeply interested,

it

was a

of the most intense anxiety and distress, caused

not only by the protracted absence of the child, but by

many

bitter

disappointments from false clues.

These

disappointments in some cases almost led us to despond,

and the darkness that

still

enshrouded the sad

{^73)

affair

CHARLEY

174
well-nigh crushed

all

ROSS.

hope of ever finding

either the

abductors or the child.

The

information received in this city that there

first

were any suspicious circumstances known in New York
was by a telegram received on the evening of August
2d, as follows:

Chief of Police of Philadelphia:

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Send

original letters of kidnappers of Ross' child

;

detective here with

think

I

have information.

Geo. \V. Walling,

[Signed,]

Superintendent N. Y. Police.

The next morning Captain Heins and my

brother

Joseph went to New York, taking with them the letters
received from the abductors. At police head-quarters
they met Superintendent Walling,

through Capt. Henry

who

them

told

that

Hedden, of the 13th Police district,

he had heard of a man professing to know the persons

who had

stolen

Charley Ross.

Mr. Walling then sent

a messenger for the officer and his informant.

man's story

in

substance was as follows

a few months before

:

He

The

said, that

Charley Ross was taken away a

plan had been arranged to abduct a child belonging to

member of the Vanderbilt family residing at Throgsneck, Long Island he was informed of the plot, and
asked to join in it The child was to be taken while
a

;

playing on

its father's

lawn, and secreted.

Fifty thou-

sand dollars was to be fixed as the ransom.

He was

asked to receive the child on a small vessel, run out on
Long Island Sound, and keep it until the money was ob-

when he would be notified to come back with it,
and the child would then be returned to its parents. For
this service he was to get a certain portion of the money.

tained,

He

declined to join in this conspiracy.

,J^..

The circum-

;

THE REAL ABDUCTORS SUSPECTED.
stances connected with the steaHng of

1/5

Charley Ross
who

being similar, he beheved that the same persons

had arranged the plot to take the Vanderbilt child had
Charley. He gave the names by which the
persons had been known who proposed to him to engage in the Vanderbilt abduction as Johnson and Clark,
and also their true names, William Mosher and Joseph
Douglas, and said that he believed they resided in
His description of the men was more
Baltimore, Md.
minute than we had already obtained, but corresponded
stolen

in all essential points.

cions were correct,

He

also said, that

Mosher was the

if

his suspi-

leader of the party

was the writer of
had received. He said he was familiar
with Mosher's writing, and could tell if he saw the letters whether he had written them or not.
Before being
shown the letters, he described Mosher's manner of
writing as rapid and careless that he rarely completed a
page without a blot. He said that he folded a letter in an
awkward way peculiar to himself, and would often write
either above or below the lines.
When the letters were
shown to him he affirmed without any hesitation that
they were written by Mosher. He professed to recognize the handwriting, and called the attention of those
that he had arranged the plan, and

the letters

I

:

present to the style of folding the letters as described

by him, to the blots of ink which appear on almost
every page, and other characteristics spoken of by him.
Captain Hedden stated that very soon after the abin New York, this man
and told him that he believed he
knew the persons who had stolen him but declined to
give any reasons for his suspicions.
The captain placed

duction of

Charley was known

had called

at his office

;

CHARLEY

lyC

reliance in his statement, yet he

little

Mr. Matsell,
Police in

who

New

York.

it

to

The Superintendent advised him
This he did, and

after seeing

by little, a similar
that which had been made to Captain Heins

frequently, he gathered,

statement to

repeated

was, at the time. Superintendent of

to follow the matter up.

him

ROSS.

little

my brother.
On the 23d of

and

July Mr. Matsell was made President
of the Police Commissioners, and Geo. W. Walling Superintendent of Police.

Hedden then

Captain

reported the information he

obtained to Superintendent Walling,
sent for the

At

man and heard

that time the trail

superintendent deemed

was a mere
it

who immediately

the story himself

of

telegraph for a Philadelphia

suspicion.

sufficient

officer, to

Yet the

importance to
inform him of

the circumstances, and to verify the assertion that the

handwriting of the

letters

could be

identified.

At

this

was arranged that the informant should endeavor to locate Mosher, alias Johnson, and to this end
he wrote a letter addressed to Johnson in Baltimore.
Superintendent Walling and Captain Hedden endeavored to find other persons who were likely to know
Mosher and Douglas, from whom they hoped to get
interview

it

additional evidence that they were

really the guilty

These men were both known as criminals in
New York, and had been convicted of several offenses
Mosher at that very time was a fugia few years ago.

parties.

tive
in

from

New

he having been arrested for burglary
and having made his escape from prison

justice,

Jersey,

before he had a
It

trial.

should be here noticed that on the 3d of August

THE REAL ABDUCTORS SUSPECTED.

I//

%

Captain Heins and

my

New

brother were in

York, and

were made acquainted with the supposed clue to the
abductors, which had been brought to the notice of the
authorities of that city: that on the 5th of August I received a letter from the abductors, dated Philadelphia,
August 4th, which states " When you receive this we
shall be at least two hundred miles from here;" and
:

that the remainder of the letters, excepting the last two,
were written and mailed in distant places. The inference
is

that

by some means the abductors

at that time

had

learned that they were suspected of the crime, and had
fled
It

from our

city.

New York

was arranged with the

detectives that

the authorities in this city should be informed of every

important fact connected with the case which might
be developed in New York, and that whatever assistance could be rendered here should be afforded them.
In accordance with this understanding Captain Heins
received the following letter:

New

Capt. Wm. R. Heins.
to locate those parties,

the 8th of

as follows:
Capt.

Wm,

R. Heins.

your

city

is

Henry Hedden,

developed.
Captain.

August Captain Hedden

—Dear Sir —We
:

Please send

me

are busy,

and hope

writes

to find

a few newspapers published in

during two or three weeks past.

small advertisements.

I will write

success.

will telegraph if anything importajit

Yours,

something very soon.

5th, 1874.

:

and with good prospect of

you again to-morrow, or

And on

York, Aug.

—Dear Sir —We are doing everything possible

I

want those

Papers of the style of the

that contain

"N. Y. Sun"

or

" Evening News" are what I want.

Captain

Hedden had

learned that

Mosher and Doug-

manufactured a moth preventive, which they called
*'Mothee," and that they travelled about the coufitry
las

8*

CHARLEY

178

ROSS.

with a horse and wagon, selling this with other small

and he thought that possibly the moth powder
might be advertised.
He was also informed that
Mosher had a brother-in-law, Wm. Westervelt, in New
York, a discharged police officer of that city, and suspected that he might be in some way implicated.
On the night of the 9th of August a message was
sent to me to bring my son Walter to New York and
articles,

On

report to Superintendent Walling.

morning

I

notified

him of our

He

with his request.

the following

arrival in

compliance

called at the hotel at

were, introduced himself, and asked

me

which we

to remain in

my room until he saw me again. The same afternoon,
accompanied by Captain Hedden, he came and told me
By arrangement
to follow the Captain's instructions.
with the Captain, early the following morning, August

went with him and saw Westervelt
we were observing him, Walter
being asked if he ever saw the man before, replied, " No,
sir
never ;" and made the same answer to a question
whether Westervelt was one of the men in the buggy
on Washington Lane. After leaving the place where
we saw him, Captain Hedden said, I did not think he
was one of the persons who took the children, but I
wanted to be certain he was not; yet I believe he is connected with the matter, and is in communication with
the abductors." We then went to Police Headquarters,
where Superintendent Walling related to me the story
he had heard, and said, regarding it in the most favorable light, it seemed to him probable that these persons
accused of the crime were the real abductors but that
his opinion was based entirely on the suspicions of his
I

ith,

Walter and

I

without his knowing

;

*'

;

:

:

-THE REAL ABDUCTORS SUSPECTED.

1 79

and that he had not found anything to conbut would do everything in his power to gain further information, as well
as to find the men.
This was the first knowledge I had of this clue;
Intimations had been given me that there was someinformer,

him

firm

that they were correct

thing going on in

what

it

New

;

York, without, however, stating

was.

After hearing Superintendent Walling,

my

impres-

was the most likely clue we ever
the abductors, and I felt hopeful that we would

sions were that this

had to
soon have the suspicions confirmed, or reach the parties.
It was stated before, that the informer had written a
but, receiving no reply,
letter to Johnson at Baltimore
;

he, with

more

an

officer

to try to find

New

York, was sent to Baltithese men. On their way to that

from

city they stopped in Philadelphia, as the following tele-

gram announced
r

Capt.
your

New York, August 11th, 1874.
R. Heins. One of my men and another man will be
Henry Hedden,
to-morrow A.M., at 9 o'clock.

—

Wm.

office

at

Captain 13th Precinct.

The officer brought with him a letter of introduction
from the Superintendent, in which he also states the
object of their visit to Baltimore as follows
New York, August nth,

Captain Heins.

man go

to

your

—Dear Sir:—The bearer,

city,

and intend going on

Officer Doyle,

to Baltimore,

1814.

and another

where the family

we think, is the prime
Mr. Doyle and the man who is with him

of Johnson lived a few weeks since.

Johnson,

movei in the Ross abduction.
both know Johnson and his family well. This Johnson has a wife and
four children.
Some time since he escaped from jail at Freehold, New
His correct name is Mosher.
Jersey, while awaiting trial for burglary.

:

CHARLEY

l8o
It

may be

that

we

are on the

locate Johnson's family,

we

Yours

wrong

ROSS.

scent

but I think not.

;

If they

can

can certainly find his whereabouts.

Geo. W. Walling,

respectfully,

Superintendent.

Officer

Doyle and

his

companion

failed to find

any

trace of Mosher's (alias Johnson's) family in Baltimore,

and

believing,

from information which they had

re-

ceived, that the family lived in Philadelphia, they re-

turned to this

city,

and spent several days here

in

an

unsuccessful search for them.

On the

13th of August Superintendent Walling wrote

as follows
Captain Heins.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Dear Sir â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
:

If

we

are right in our suspicions,

and

the parties that Detective Doyle and his companion are searching for in

Baltimore are guilty of abducting the Ross child, in
child

is

kept on board of a small boat, and

Yours

may be

in

G.

in haste,

all

probability the

your

vicinity.

W. Walling.
Superintendent.

Mr. Walling knew that Mosher was a boat-builder by
and that he frequented the waters around New

trade,

York

in a

boat on marauding expeditions, and supposed

would be the most likely place in
which Mosher would conceal the child. On receipt of
the above letter, all the boats, vessels and barges lying
in the Delaware and Schuykill rivers were searched, as
already related. Up to this time no more definite information had been obtained, except that Mosher, after
that a small vessel

his escape from jail in Freehold, N.

had been
police, and had been absent from
New York.
prior to these events,

J.,

about three years

lost sight of

by the

his former haunts in

This clue, as before stated, rested entirely on the
who had been solicited to be a

statement of a person

participant in a similar abduction;

and while the author-

THE REAL ABDUCTORS SUSPECTED.

l8l

ities of New York and Philadelphia did not feel at all
sanguine that the information was correct, yet they
deemed it best to pursue the trail without communi-

cating their action to any person except those actually

engaged

in

working

it

up.

This secrecy seemed neces-

had been
by the injudiwhich had been given to their move-

sary, because several times before the police

defeated in accomplishing their purposes
cious publicity

ments.

All that

I

knew

of the matter

interview with Mr. Walling.

I

I

learned on

or telegrams that passed between the two
felt

that

if

my

first

read none of the letters

and

cities,

the end could be reached better without

being kept posted in the means used,

I

my

should be con-

by asking 'general questions. The correspondence and telegrams relating to this clue already given,
and those to follow, came into my possession very recently, and were then read by me for the first time.

tented

The

press, looking only at results,

the police and charged

long a time had

now

them with

found

fault

inefficiency;

with

and so

passed without apparently getting

nearer to a solution of the mystery, that the public

any
became impatient: a

began everywhere to be
should be employed to
means
manifested that every
recover the child. A
and
to
ferret out the abductors
few citizens deeply interested believed that the time had
arrived

desire

when a new power should be called

to unravel the mystery,

and concluded

to

in to

attempt

employ the
While these

Pinkerton detective agency in the case.
negotiations for this object were pending, and arrangements were being made, a letter from the abductors
reached

me

from

New York

City.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
CHARLEY

l82

The

ROSS.

from the abductors was dated

last letter received

August 4th, and no reply made to it
best not to answer

it

My advisers deemed
when

believing that

it,

that no notice was taken of their letter they

This they did

again.

The suspense was

was found
would write

it

after a delay of nearly three

long; but

when

weeks.

the letter did come,

there was a feeling that a point had been gained, and

becoming anxious to close the
negotiations.
The letter was dated and mailed in New
York, August 2 1st, and was received about nine o'clock
the same night in Philadelphia, and is as follows;
that the villains were

[No. i6.]

New York,
since

we

als,

we

we have

Mr. Ros :

August 21.

heard nothing from yu

wrote yu about 3 weeks ago. we then told yu if yu had anything to comunicate to us to do it through the New York Herald person-

Market

come

have seen nothing but these words (Christian K. Ross, 304
we know not what to make of that, we have therefor

street),

to the conclusion that

conditions which

we

agree to any other terms,
ultainous
to

is

yu don't mean to redeem yu child on the

yu must bear

proposed,

in

mind we would never

the fact of yu saying the action must be sym-

we would

absolutely imposible.

examine the mony and see

if it

require at least a few ours

were spurious or

all

marked up and

then but a few ours more would be necessary to place yu child in yu
possession for he

way we had
on
tell

his

is

not so far off as yu

imagin.

the folowing

we was

going to put a

back and take him to a respectable house

them

to take this child as directed

arrangement does not
left

may

intended to return him to yu.

me

with yu concent so there

now we demand yu

yu.

at night rouse

pay them

anser yes or

now

as

if

you

ÂŤa.y

yu do not answer we
yu money,
sonals.)

we

redeem him
take

'hall

it

it

listing ^o

never find yu child,

we

old

-Âť*!

no other altemitive

is

we

are going to urope

way

or the other by

visions
it

if

yu dont mean to pay

address (John

womans

x)uld have told yu

noise to look for charly but

them up.

has got to be on our terms alone

as granted that

shall act accordingly,

you are

the

labill

for their trouble, this

the 24 Sept ai>d he has got to be disposed of one
that time,

is

New

Herald

per-

and dreams which wil
was useless to go to iUi-

would not have believed

us.

THE REAL ABDUCTORS SUSPECTED.
In this letter the abductors
fact that

4th,

umn

and to having seen
of the

stand.

call

no reply was made to

my

attention to the

their letter of

my name

I83

August

in the personal col

New York Herald, which they do not

They

under-

speak again of the impossibility of making

the exchange simultaneously, and say they will not

agree to any other than the terms already proposed by

them that they will require a few hours to examine the
money, and then a few more hours would be required
in which to return the child, but that he is not so far
away as I might suppose. They also state the way in
which they propose to return the child to me, and
demand an answer to the letter, threatening to go to
Europe the following month, and saying that this matThey advise
ter must be disposed of before that time.
me not to travel around to look for Charley, as no
;

persons but they have him.
It will

letter is

much

wanting

in the

be observed that the tone of this

milder than any of
cruel threats in

its

predecessors.

It is

which they had indulged so

freely in

the other letters.

The abductors had now become fugitives from our
where they were not known to the police authori-

city,

and had fled to New York, where they
be arrested for this crime, but
also for another offense.
Yet they felt safe there, so
long as they had one interested, one who by giving
them information of the doings of the authorities, aided
them in secreting themselves.
My name appeared in the personal columns of the
Herald in answer to an anonymous letter, which had no

ties as criminals,

were not only

liable to

relation to these

men; yet the

fact of their observinjg: it

:

:

CHARLEY

184

ROSS.

shows how impatient they were
In

last letter.

was

to get the

for

an answer to their

the former letters their whole aim

money, without laying themselves open
In this they, for the

to discovery.

way

all

first

time, indicate

which they propose to get Charley to his
home. They evidently knew they were suspected of
having committed the crime, as they desire to hasten
the negotiations by stating that on the 24th of September they would go to Europe. They seem to have
taken it for granted that I was following out the many
suggestions made to me by clairvoyants and spiritualists of every species, and that I had gone or sent to
Illinois, to look at a child.
This they were induced to
believe by the newspapers, which they evidently read
the

in

closely.

After the arrangements between the Pinkerton agency

and the citizens who employed them were completed,
and a committee of citizens had been appointed to carry
out their plans, I was informed that they were engaged
to

work

tures

in

the case.

which

my

So anxious was

I

to

end the

tor-

family and myself were enduring, that

without inquiring into the conditions upon which the

agency had been employed,
ance had been procured.

On

was glad

that their assist-

the 26th of August, the following personal was

published
ter of

I

in

the

August

New York

Herald, in reply to the

let-

2ist

John. Did not answer, because your proposition led my friends to
doubt whether you ever had it. Write, giving better proof, and nanie an
attorney, or other person, through

To which

whom

arrangements can be made.

was received
marked Rondout, New York, 27th of August
the following answer

post-

THE REAL ABDUCTORS SUSPECTED.
[No.

17.

1

85

Postmarked Rondout, 27th of August.]

—

—

Albany, August 26. Mr. Ros Your timely answer saved yu child.
"We had determined if yu did not care to save him we would not swerve
one jot or tittle from the fate we had designed for him not that we
delight in blood but it was inevitable with our selves in order to carry
out our plan of action yu ask for no more prof that we had him or that
we have him that is right yu should have prof that we are the iden-

—

—

—
—we thought that yu were well
prove
yu we took Charley
that we were the kidnapers—we wil
—ask Walter one the men did not hold him between his legs an
tical

ones

who kidnaped

Charley

satisfied

to

first

if

on

partly

his

erf

knee with the cloth

behind us both entirely out of sight

on main road

in front of

—ask him

if

him while Charley
he did not want

to

set

go up

we told him we would first go to ant
we could get them cheaper, ask him
him pieces of candy as we rode along, ask

to git fireworks an

Susy's that she kep a shop where
if

we

him

did not keep givin

if

we

did not go from your house west to Morton street and then

south instead of going towards the depot on Washington lane as

been stated

in the papers these

remarks we think are

suficient to

it

has

prove

we are the men who took him if yu have received any other
headed other than Ros or Mr. Ros they are forgeries, we have
sent you 8 or 10 letters in all, if you had accepted the proposition we
made yu some four weeks ago yu would now without doubt have yu

to

yu

that

letters

child safe in

means

the

yu own house but yu rejected the offer and left us without
with yu. Mr, Ros if you ever expect to recove yu

to negotiate

child yu have got to in a measm-e rely on our faith, in dealing with us
yu must be satisfied that yu child was taken for a ransom. We have set
the price and asked the ransom of yu, do yu think if you paid the ransom once that we would ever ask it the second time, no man would be
foolish

enough

to

pay ransom the second time

for

a thing he had paid

we wanted more money from you we would
ask it now, instead of asking more we would rather throw off some, but
the public have interfered so much in this bisiness that we are determined every dollar shall be paid or not one cent You have asked that
the action between us should be symultainous You must know from the
nature of this busines that is impossible first we would have to give
yu Charley when we receive the mony yu git yu child, We might git a

for

once and did not

get,

if

—

No sir Mr. Ros
examine the money to see if yu
have delt faithfully with us what we mean is yu must give the mony in
good condition unscarified or not at all, then yu have performed yu part

bundle of brown paper and a chain around our necks

We

must have

at least

4 or

5 hours to

1

CHARLEY

86

in

good

faith

When

that

ROSS.

done we have no further use for Charley he
we got him and we as vile as we

is

has answered the whole end for which
are would be working against our

you as we promised

we

own

only wish

interests if

we

was posible

did not return

him

to effect the

change

symultaniously but as that cant be done yu must accept the best

we can

to

it

do yu open this correspondence with the intention to pay yu
money on our terms and git yu child or is it tlie foolish advice of some
of yu friends again with the idea of entraping us. do you want to daly
along and keep your child month after month living in a place where the
offer yu,

strongest could not live over one year,
sufer but this exteriordary search has

the light of the sun has never

we have
to

come

we would

made

it

not

let

shown upon him

since the 2d day of July.

seen Charley about 4 days ago his whole cry
see

him and he

mother, don't think this

is
is

him unnecessarily

necessary to keep him where

is

he wants Walter

he wil not go to Atlantic City with his
only an appeal to your affection as a farther

afraid

we saw him last. Mr. Ros.
redeem Charley or not on our terms,
if yu do yu must make up you mind that the money must be paid in good
don't deceive yu self that if the ransom is not paid that we will
faith,
set yu child at liberty, we can never do that our whole plan would be
frustrated at one blow and our work would come to naught, as yu deal
with us so shal we deal with you in return, we saw yu personal in
Herald of 26. whatever answer yu have to make to this let it be in
Albany Argus no put it in New York htrald personals as we wil leave
here to-day and drop this somewhere on our way to New York, we
can see the New York herald any part of the United States.
it is

symply the words that he used when

One word more

—do you want

to

(Address as be for John.)
P. S.

—

if

— yu acted wisely in refusing these

yu had published them, no doubt

it

letters until yu got yu child
wotdd have been the means

of sacrificing you child.

The abductors begin
answer to their

this letter

last letter

by saying

had saved the

that

child.

my

They

profess not to delight in blood, but are determined to

carry out their plans, even though they should involve

Admitting that it is proper for
me to have proof that they kidnapped Charley, they
profess to have additional evidence, and present ques-

the taking of his

life.

THE REAL ABDUCTORS SUSPECTED.
tions to be

manner

in

A

They

statement

which they addressed

number

their letters, with the

them.

8/

asked of Walter to prove that they really

did take the children away.

the

1

me

is

given of

previously

state that if their offer to

make

in

me by

of letters sent to

the ex-

change had been accepted, I should have had the child
four weeks ago, and say that I must rely on their word
for the fulfillment of their part of the proposition. This
is supported by the argument, that it would be foolish

ransom after the first had
had not the public interfered
in the business, they would have lessened the sum of
money fixed as the ransom but will not now. They
for

them

to expect another

They say

been paid.

that

;

argue that

it

will

be impossible to make a simultaneous

I would get Charley, and they
might receive a bundle of paper and a chain around

exchange, and say that
their necks.

For these reasons, they require time to
secure.
If they do not restore the

make themselves

child after finding that the

would be working against
still

doubtful about

faith.

father,

my

money is all right, they
own interests, but are

their

dealing with

They endeavor to work upon
by saying that Charley is

them

my

good

in

feelings as a

necessarily

kept

where no one could live over a year,
and where the light of the sun has never shone on him
since the 2d day of July, and by telling me that the
closely confined,

continual cry of

Charley

to Atlantic City to

that their

is

to see Walter,

be with his mother.

whole plan would be

and

to

go

They claim

frustrated, if the child

should be set at liberty without the ransom being paid,
â&#x20AC;˘and re-affirm that as

I

deal with them, so will they deal

me and finally they require an answer in the
New York Herald, with the same address of "John."

with

;

1

CHARLEY

88

Rondout, as most of

my

ROSS.

readers know,

built

is

on

Hudson river, at the mouth of a
stream to which the name of the town has been given,
and is about ninety miles north of New York City;
here is the terminus of the Hudson and Delaware canal.
This place was visited at a later date by Mosher, Dougthe west bank of the

las

and Westervelt, and

be noticed again

will

in the

order of time.
It is

hard to believe that

in

our country a

man

could

be so devoid of feeling as to threaten deliberately to
take the

life

of a

little

child, in order that his sad case

might be referred to as an example to terrify other
parents into redeeming their children stolen from them.
Yet we find this threat repeated again and again by the
writer of these letters.

When

Walter was asked the

questions which the kidnappers gave us in the letter
hist received, his

answers to

all

were as indicated by the

writer, except that in reply to that relating to the direc-

tion

taken after getting into the buggy, he said

first

that there

was a dirty lap-cover drawn up which nearly

covered them, and that he had asked the

them

to the

main

that they said,

"We will

can get a pocket

men

to take

street to get the fire crackers;

go

full for five

to

Aunt

Susy's,

He

cents."

but

where you

said that they

had given them candy all along the road, and when he
got home he had still a considerable quantity in his
But he stated very positively they did not go
pocket.
to Morton street, but turned the horse before getting
there, and went out Washington Lane, passing by the
railroad station.
"

Ros."

sent

me

My

name

in all

the letters

They were wrong, however,
eight or ten letters;

I

in

is

spelled

saying they had

had received sixteen

THE REAL ABDUCTORS SUSPECTED.
by the same person and addressed

written

1

in the

89

same

way.
Before committing the crime, the kidnappers did not

suppose that pubhc feehng would be so intense, or popuThis is again reand is given as an additional reason why they
will not change their original dernands, evidently fearing summary vengeance frdm the people.
lar indignation so fiercely aroused.

ferred to,

It is
I

impossible for

me

to describe

read the closing part of this

Charley being

left in

letter,

my

feelings

when

which speaks of

close confinement.

Imagination

suggested every conceivable dark and loathsome place

—a cave, the hold of a
—

as his prison

vessel, or

an aban-

doned mine these and other like places were conjectured as one of his hiding-places where the light of the
sun might be shut out. It seemed to me that it could
not be possible that he should be treated so cruelly

;

though the statement was before me, I felt that it could
not must not be so that he must soon be discovered.

—

—

I fancied that I

could hear his plaintive appeals to see

his brother Walter,

and that he might go to Atlantic

City to be with his mother.

Who

so callous as not to

be touched by the piteous cry of a child? and yet these
miscreants,

more

cruel than brutes, tamely listened to

the wailings of this distressed and innocent child,

whom

they had stolen from his home, without any emotions

and then, with worse than fiendish calculation,
could write to his parents, already broken down by longcontinued torture and suspense, " His whole cry is, he
wants Walter to come to see him," and " he is afraid
;"
he will not go to Atlantic City to be with his mother
of pity

and

;

all this for

the purpose of

making money.

CHARLEY

190

ROSS.

Mr. Bangs, Superintendent

in

New

York, and Mr.

B. Franklin, Superintendent in Philadelphia of the Pink-

erton detective agency, after obtaining
tion possible

by personal

besides having been

all

the informa-

and examinations,

inquiries

made acquainted with

all

that the

public authorities had investigated, entered vigorously

upon

their work,

by preparing

graphs of Charley

;

circulars with photo-

large and small posters describing

the child, men, horse and wagon, headed with

the

^20,000 reward offered by the Mayor bills with wood
cuts and lithographs of the child photographs with
;

;

on postal cards, and photographs mounted
on cards and bills, offering a reward of one thousand
dollars for any information to the person who would
give positive information as to the owner of the horse
and buggy used by the kidnappers, and for information of the house the kidnappers stopped at prior to said
descriptions

abduction.

The

and descriptions were disimmense numbers; being sent to the

different circulars

tributed

in

sheriff of every

postmaster

in

county

in the

United States, to every

the United States and Canada.

Photo-

graphs and descriptions were forwarded to every
road

office,

rail-

with a request that each conductor be

furnished with a copy

to every steamboat and steamany of the ports of the United
States and the Canadas.
They had them put permanently on all the ferry boats and street railroad cars,
in fact, wherever any
in the various railroad depots
one could be reached by means of printed posters or

ship that

came

;

to

j

circulars, there

could be seen printed descriptions of

Charley, with his

picture, or hand-bills describing the

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
THE REAL ABDUCTORS SUSPECTED.
abductors and their horse and wagon.

agency did not confine

IQI

This detective

our own country, but

itself to

sent large quantities of the printed matter to England

and other parts of Europe. Thus the widest publicity was given to the abduction, and the picture of
Charley Ross was scattered by this means, so that
there was scarcely an English-speaking town or village
where it could not be found, either posted up in a public

place, or in the possession of

The

details of their

work

employed by gentlemen of

I

this city

and

interested in restoring the child,

the criminals, and

who

some of the citizens.
They were

never knew.

who were

deeply

in the detection of

believed that this agency had

greater facilities than any other organization for accomplishing the work.

mittee selected from

A daily report was made to a comamong the

contributors to the fund

pay the expenses of the work. It was therefore not necessary, and perhaps not proper, that I should
know what means were being employed. It was enough
for me to hope that, with their aid, results would be
raised to

reached that should restore to

The funds

me my

child.

raised for the object of meeting the ex-

penses incident to their employment, have been long
since exhausted,

My

nephew,

and the committee disbanded.

in the latter part of

September, went to

Scotland to investigate a case, and see a child discovered by the agency, supposed to be

Charley

;

but

returned, after an absence of six weeks, with the oftrepeated word " Wrong."
Mr. Joseph W. Lewis went
to Montreal, Canada, about the

same

back, after several weeks, with the
"

Wrong."

One

time, and came
same answer

of the detectives was sent to Colorado

:

CHARLEY

192

to look after a child,

ROSS.

who had been

distant territory as being

my

little

reported in that

He

son.

also re-

turned disappointed.

For months the Pinkerton men performed an immense
amount of work.
All means required were at their
command, to use at their discretion, and every assistance that could be, was afforded by the counsels of the
committee, gentlemen of the highest standing

community and of the

clearest

judgment

in

our

that could be

yet they failed to discover anything that
shed a ray of light on the mystery. The failure is, of

selected;

course, to be attributed to the peculiarities of the case,
which compelled the abductors to use the utmost caution in all their movements, and to cover all their tracks
so effectually as to leave behind them no traces which
might lead to their discovery.

The

constant failures to find out the perpetrators of

the crime show the impotence of

of police and detectives

all

the appliances

when confronted by cunning

and audacious criminals, who, using the advantage of
their position, even defy pursuit.

Efforts continued to be

made

additional evidence as to whether

and Clark were the

in

New York

Mosher

real abductors,

alias

to get

Johnson

and on August 24th,

1874, Superintendent Walling wrote as follows:

W.

R. Heins, Captain Detectives.

received.

Mosher
your

I

alias

am more

Johnson are the parties

letter that

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Dear Sir â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Yours

of 22d

confident than ever that the parties Clark

we

want.

I

knew

they were somewhere in this vicinity,

and

before receiving

etc., etc.

them know that they are being looked after, and that
They are frightened, and would,
is the reason for their change of tone.
I believe, make terms very moderate, provided they could be a-ssured of
There is no danger of their going to Europe; they have no
safety.

Some one has

let

;

THE REAL ABDUCTORS SUSPECTED.

93

1

money, and Mosher's wife and children would keep him here. Of this
you can assure Mr. Ross, providing I am right as to the parties, and I
have no doubt of it. I think it would be well for Mr. Ross to keep in
communication

You

(if

possible) with them.

can assure Mr. Ross that

I think there is

juring the child, or of their taking

him

to

no danger of

their in-

Europe, always providing

we

are on the right track.

Yours, in haste,

Geo.

While the clue

W. Walling, SupU

of Police,

Mosher and Douglas
was regarded as the best which

that pointed to

as being the criminals

had been brought to the notice of the police authorities, still, whenever information was received of other
suspicious persons or circumstances, they were fully

inquired into.

Mosher and Douglas were fugitives from our city,
and out of the jurisdiction of our police; and all our
officers could do was to assist the New York authorities, by sending to them what information they could
obtain here to confirm anything they learned there.
Officer

Doyle and

York without being

his

companion returned to

New

able to locate Mosher's family, and

Supt. Walling sent for Westervelt on the

i8th

of

August, and endeavored to engage him to

assist

in

finding the

men and

recovering the child.

After con-

sidering the matter for a few days, he concluded to

The manner and

help him.
will

results of this assistance

appear hereafter.

On

the

I

ith of September, Supt. Walling wrote to

Capt. Heins:

Dear

Sir.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Since

writing you this A. M., I have seen Westervelt

he says he knows nothing of the whereabouts of Mosher.

He

says

Mosher lived in your city, about four months ago, on Monroe street, near
3d street, and that he had a stable between 3d and 4th streets, in some

9

CHARLEY

194

ROSS.

name not known, but the third or fourth street from Monroe towards Washington avenue. The st:)ble was an old wooden building
with very large doors, and near 3d street ; that a wagon answering to
the description you gave me was in said stable at that time, and may be

street

there yet, but probably not

horse

but he

;

whom.

I

is

;

that they kept in said stable a dark

showed him

the drawing of the

wagon you gave

bay

know

confident the horse has been sold, but does not

to

me, and

to

he says he could not make a better one had he it before him, except that
he thinks his would not be quite so much rounded at the top.
Yours,

etc..

Geo.

Signed,

This was the

first

W. Walling,

Supt.

information that was obtained of

the locality in which Mosher's family had lived while
in this city, and where he had kept
wagon. By inquiries made by Capt.
found that a family named Henderson
235 Monroe street. This proved to

his horse

Heins,

it

and
was

had resided at
be

the

name

Mosher had assumed when he came to Philadelphia.
It was also learned that Joseph Douglas, alias Clark,
had lived with them, and that Mosher's wife and children had moved to New York on the 19th of August.
On making inquiry for the stable, it was found that
there had been an old stable on Marriott's Lane, now
torn down, and part of which Mosher, alias Henderson,

had

rented,

An

and there kept

searches in July,
to

among

and wagon.

facts are these, as

why

the

the stables of the city, failed

or shed in Marriott's Lane.

discover this stable

The

his horse

explanation seems to be necessary here,

they were learned after the

in-

formation had been received where to look for the

had been rented by a person who sublet
to others, and on the ist of July the stable
was leased by another man, who did not know the for-

stable.
stall

It

room

mer occupants

:

so that

when

the officers inquired of

:

THE REAL ABDUCTORS SUSPECTED.

1

95

him about the horse and wagon, he knew nothing
it, and only knew those persons who were using

about

the stable at that time

;

very soon afterwards the stable

was torn down.
It was deemed important to find some of Mosher's
writing, that it might be compared with the letters
Capt. Heins succeeded
received from the abductors.
in finding his

receipts

assumed name signed to a number of

but that was not sufficient to identify the
Westervelt was asked to procure a letter or

;

writing.

any paper that he knew Mosher had written; but deEfforts
clared he did not know where to get any.
were made by and through other persons to the same
end, but without success.

On

the 6th of September, the following personal ap-

New York

peared in the

of August 26th

He denies

John.

Send clothing

On

to

Herald^ in reply to the letter

:

the direction you give.

I require conclusive proof.

any point that you please, and advise.

the 6th of September, an answer was received as

follows
[No.

Mr. Ros

we

18.

Postmarked

cannot see

how yu

New
can

York, September 6.]

resist

the proof that

we have

got

him notwithstanding Walter's contradictory story, yu must admit he was
taken by some one yu must admit he was taken for a ransom now if we
have not got him who has got him has any one else asked yu for a

—

ransom we think not. mr. percell that benevlent man who offered to
pay the ransom now says yu have never lost yu child we know percell

—

lies

because

we have

positive that

proof that yu lost him.

him yu

require

some of

ago in one of the
to that

we

said

we have him and yu have

Mr. Ros in order to convince yu that
his cloths sent yu.

editorials to

we would

to cxpres

was hinted some

six

weeks

send yu some of Charly cloths in answer

never do anything of the kind because

could give an irrestible proof without

have got

it

positive

we have

it

—

if

we

ihcm which wo wil never do

sent you any cloths

we

don't

know

we
we

for cer-

t

CHARLEY

196

ROSS.

tain

welher his cloths have been saved up to the time

him

often for

we have

seen him three or four times since 2d of July
letters that

girls clothes put

we

not

Charley had never been in

we

on him

cannot say and

probibility

is

we

we have

you in one of our
any way whatever disguised nor at

now wether

his hair cut short

they have kept his cloths or

cannot send them

they have them

if

the

they have destroyed them for every possible precautionary

measure has been taken since we have seen what great

made

dont go near

told

he had not been but since then he has had

that time

and

wc

nothing to do with guarding him though

to find his place of

efforts

have been

we were surprised to think yu
him when we told yu that to search for

concealment

would make such efforts to find
him yu was only searching for his life and any approach by a detective to
his hiding place would be a certain sign for his destruction
yu either
don't believe this or yu don't regard the

now
yu

detectives

set

him

had.

life of yu child
where he is
tomb unles yu bring him out with the ransom
can never do it your friends who advise yu that we wil

confined wil be his

free should

you not ransom him wil be the worst advise yu ever

your friends yu say ask for more proof that

wc

ever had him they

are as foolish as percell for he says you never lost him.

have never had the

slightest clue or trace of

him

your detectives

since the our he

taken but in order to convince these sceptical friends that

was

we had him

and have him we will now give the detectives a small clue to work upon
it will serve no other end only to convince these sceptical friends or
yours that we have him. on the night of 2d July at 1 1 o'clock we passed
through Trenton, N. J. Charley lay in my arms asleep, after we had
but

passed about 2 squares up bridge
not notice

back

for

worn

out.

it

it.

until

you can get
if it

this hat

Charley's hat drop off and
for his hat

by advertising

now

we

we would
there

did

not

go

if it is

not

who found one

that

for

should be worn out you can find out

night or the next morning,
if

st

he woke up and asked

it

ask one of your domestics or Mrs. Ros

Charley did not have on the afternoon of the

first

of July a narrow faded

pink ribbin tied around his head to keep the hear out of his eyes,

if yu
which we have no doubt yu wil and as it was never described in the advertisement, we think no human being could mention it
but the party who took him. if this does not saLsfy yu and yu friends

find this a fact

we have him then yu must go unsatisfied, this clue of the hat will
end there when you find it and it wil avail yu nothing more, let the detectives work it up much as they please, the clue will end there we know
or we would not told of it.
Mr. Ros we dont know welher yu ever mean
tha'

to

ransom yu child yu certainly dont

act

much

like

it.

but

we do know

THE REAL ABDUCTORS SUSPECTED.

IQ/

him without it unless you are fortunate enough to ketch
and take him by stratagem, there is not one chance in
10,000 of ever getting him that way. yu must not delude yuself with the
idea that if we go to europe this month that we wil set yu child free or
take him with us and then will be the time to find him. that wil never
yu

will never get

us knapping

be Mr. Ros

we have

yu ever expect

to get yu child yu
amount we named, if you deal
fair with us we wil deal fair with yu if yu play any tricks with us we
shall do likewise with yu.
whatever you do with us we shall do likewise with yu. whatever yu do with us yu must do it in good faith or
not at all then yu get yu child safe and sound, we shall not keep up this
correspondence much longer, whatever yu mean to do must be soon, we
see the New York herald every day whatever yu have to say we wil notice it.
we are now in lansingburg above Troy New York we dont know
where we shall post this letter yet we leave here to-day.

wil have to ransom

This

letter

told

yu befor

him and

if

to the full

begins with an argument to show that the

proofs already given ought to be satisfactory

that

the

had taken Charley, notwithstanding Walter's statement of the direction in which they
went was contrary to that which the abductors
mentioned in their last letter. They refer again to
an advertisement, which was continued a long time in
writer of the letters

the

New York

Herald, over the

name

of Purcell,

who

was not known to us, and say they can give irresistible
proof that they have Charley without sending any
clothing.
They assert that they had seen him only
three or four times since the 2d of July, and that his
hair had been cut off, and girl's clothes put on him
to disguise him.

They

are surprised, that so great

have been made to find his place of concealment, because if any approach had been made to it by a
efforts

detective, that

destruction.

detective ever

since

would have been a

They

signal for the child's

however, that no
had the slightest clue or trace of him
he was stolen, and defiantly give two more proofs

instant

claim,

*

CHARLEY

198

that they took and

ROSS.

have him.

still

They say

that

one against ten thousand of my
ever getting him, except by paying the ransom, and
that if tlicy go to Europe, he neither will be taken with

the chances

them nor

are

They

state that

then in Lansingburg, above Troy,
not

know where

The main

on

but do

;

as they will

this day.

points in this letter that have not been pre-

viously stated are the

were the

letter,

against

they were

New York

they will post this

leave that place

me

and again warn

set at liberty,

dealing falsely with them.

desire to satisfy us tliat they

without incurring any risk of
Their guard on this point had been
beginning, and continued so, notwith-

real abductors,

being discovered.
perfect from tlie

standing their

many and long

letters.

This

fear of de-

them from sending to us part of
Charley's clothing, which could not be forwarded

tection

deterred

without great risk of affording a clue to their hidingplace.

Very careful and long-continued search was made in
Trenton for the hat which Charley wore, and which
they say was lost there on the night of July 2d. Mayor
Breist, of that city, not only advertised for

structed his police officers to inquire for

house on Bridge street; at
persons from the country
attend

market; but

it

all

tlie

who come

but

it,

it

in-

at every

schools,

and of

to the city to

was not found.

The

ribbon

described as having been tied around Charley's head
to keep the hair out of his eyes, had not been thought

of by the nurse

who had

dressed him on the afternoon

when he was taken away, and was

therefore not

men-

tioned in any description that had been given of his

THE REAL ABDUCTORS SUSPECTED.

When

clothing.
letter,

we found

1

99

our attention was called to it in this
had used a narrow pale

that his nurse

pink ribbon edged with purple, a part of which was
the house, and corresponded

in

to the description in the

letter.

In

all

the previous letters,

when

the kidnappers spoke

of having seen Charley, they said he had not been

disguised

in this one,

;

however,

is

it

stated that

girl's

clothing, and to cut off his hair

that with

all

;

it

was

him

necessary, for the sake of precaution, to dress

in

thus showing

their professed feeling of confidence that

he could not be found, they adopted every means to
prevent his being recognized. The letter of August
26th was dated at Albany, and postmarked Rondout,

N. Y.

This one

they were

in

writing

it

it,

Bad and

not dated, and although they say

is

Lansingburg, above Troy, at the time of
bears the postmark of

New York

city.

torturing as are the letters of the abductors

in this chapter, yet

they are so

much more mild

than any that had preceded them, that

I felt

in tone

a degree

of relief from the terrible anxiety which had been occa-

sioned by the others

;

and having some confidence that

the real kidnappers were known, and that

be long before they would be taken,
the hope, that soon our dear

and restored to his home.

little

it

could not

was buoyed with
boy would be found
I

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

CHAPTER

VIII.

SUGGESTIONS FROM SPIRITUALISTS AND CONVICTS

SEARCH IN TRENTON, NEW JERSEY.

N

addition to the ordinary

discover the

^

means employed to

kidnappers and find Charley,

almost every conceivable mysterious agency

who were interested in
who believed the desired

has been suggested by f)ersons
testing diftcrent theories, or
result could be reached

subtle influences,

by invoking the

and were desirous to try

aid of

more

their skill in

unraveling the mystery.

Many

persons have

come

to

said to be obtained through the

me

with information

medium of spirits, sug-

But
was generally so vague and indefinite
that it was impossible to examine it, even had there
been a disposition to do so. Besides, no two persons
who had consulted different mediums gave the same
direction in which to look for the child.
gesting that the matter should be investigated.

their information

In consequence of the wide-spread interest taken in
the recovery of Charley, there never has been a better

opportunity to give to the world practical evidences of
the

usefulness of either clairvoyance or spiritualism

than this case affords; and could the place
child

is

in

which the

concealed be discovered through information

derived from cither of these sources, there would be
(200)

THE SEARCH CONTINUED.
something substantial

201

for the faith of the skeptical to

rest upon.

The

letters received

many

hundreds,
full

on these subjects

of them from persons

I

can count by

who have not

confidence in being able to accomplish everything;

yet, in order to experiment,

some ask

for

a small piece

of any garment worn by Charley, and not since washed.

A
who

single instance will be given to

show how persons

entertain the belief that the spirits of the departed

communicate matters connected with the present life to
professed mediums, and how they have utterly failed in
this case to reveal anything that has been of any practical benefit, and how willing the votaries of said belief
are to adopt any theory rather than acknowledge that
they have been misled or deluded.
A gentleman from New York City called on me, and
stated he had a great desire to assist me in finding my
little boy
that he was well acquainted with a lady of
intelligence and good Christian character, who was
possessed of extraordinary powers as a spiritual medium, and that she had told him some remarkable things
in which he was personally interested.
He also stated
that he would like to give her an opportunity of testing
her powers, in tracing my little son, and that to do it,
he would require some article of clothing which the
child had worn.
At first I declined letting him have
anything; but he was so earnest, and expressed his
confidence so strongly, that he would very soon be able
to inform me where the child was secreted, or what had
become of him, that I finally gave him what he desired.
Before leaving he said he would let me know from time
;

to time of the progress made.
9*

:

:

CHARLEY

202

The first letter I
medium was greatly

ROSS.

him says

received from

that the

affected in the examination, as the

magnetism or influence surrounding the child was exceedingly bad but the decision is, that the controlling
;

or influence will find the child whether

spirit

or

The second

letter says, "

The

dead

it is

who

has
undertaken this search has been very diligent ever since
alive.

spirit

He

you gave me.

the examination of the

little

commenced

by looking through the city of

the search

dress

New York, and reported that he looked in every house
and hunted in and about the city, and has continued
the search night and day. He requested me to say to
you, not to go to any further expense in looking for
your boy, as he is now looking for his remains. He
says he shall find them, it is only a matter of time, and
we

are likely to receive the information in regard to the

fate

of

Charley any

written to
brain,

and

day.

you appears

I

suppose

all

that I have

the ravings of a fevered

like

your views and
you are not conversant with the philosophy
certainly can appreciate

I

feelings, as

of modern spiritualism, or the laws governing spiritual

communion
hope

and

I

tive

proof."

letter,

what

nevertheless,

;

in

as

have written are

About two months

of which the above

following,

I

facts,

a few days to present you with posi-

is

after receiving this

an extract,

I

received the

the result of this interview with the

spirits

Christian K. Ross.
to

you

last fall, I will

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Dear

now

by Menomonee, an Indian
Jate of Chicago.

Sir

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Agreeably

to

my

promise,

give the result of the search for your
spirit,

Menomonee

through the

reports that

medium

made

little

son

of Mrs.

he has found your

little

,

boy

;

he has seen and talked with him and his attendant several times ; but he
His attendant is a German
in the spirit home, cheerful aud happy.

is

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

:

THE SEARCH CONTINUED.
woman, and a
would

correct.

would be pleased

I

to ask, I will submit

now heard

I

name was

Josephine.

to hear from you, and if you
them and get the information

I remain yours with respect.

desire, if possible.

As

said her

I have tested

have any questions

you

He

know whether you recognize the woman by the
him many times, and have invariably

Like to

description given.

found him

and

relative of tlie family, is about forty-five years of age,

while in earth-life was a cripple.
I

203

for the first time that there

relative of the family

who was

a

was a

German woman and a

cripple while living, the conclusion

was that the

only-

point of the revelation that could be tested having

proved

false,

to say

The
tics

the other parts were equally unworthy of

Besides,

belief

where

field for

of

all

if

the child was deceased, they failed

his remains

were to be found.

the search has been so wide that mys-

kinds have offered their services, or volun-

tarily sent the results of their

mysterious processes.

Astrologers, fortune-tellers, dreamers, somnambulists
in fact there can scarcely be named a secret profession,
from some of whose believers I have not received communications, asking me to test its powers. In a few

instances letters have been received so carefully written

that

it

was impossible to determine whether the persons
them did or did not have reliable information.

writing

A case of this kind occurred that caused considerable
trouble and expense. A letter from one of the Western
States

was sent

to the

Mayor

of the city, which

is

as

follows
Sir

:

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; If

Mayor of the City of Philadelphia.
Mr. Christian K. Ross will consult me, he can hear some-

thing to his advantage in regard to his lost son.

Apply immediately by

To which

No money

asked.

letter.

I replied,

.

asking the person to write to

me

:

:

CHARLEY

204

ROSS.

what information she had, and received the following
answer
Mr. Christian K. Ross.—Dfar Sir:— Yonr
Your

child

New
You

alive

is

He

Jersey.

and
is

in

with a person

who

He

Brunswick,

been

in a northeasterly direction

Point,

of business

lies

He

is

from the town.

among a

cautious in

The

nest of smugglers,

or 13th of April,

Have you

From one who wishes

?

Be

New

child has

and

whose

The

rivers.

and you

line

fear of

crime has caused them to detain the child.

your boy will be found.
country

hand.

at

on or near Raritan Bay.

Brunswick.

along the Raritan and Delaware
for the

him on the 7th

to look for

is

Middlesex county.

but most of the time near to Staten Island,

;

and Amboy.

punished

letter

in

is

near the mountains, and within seven miles of

in various places

Sandy
l>eing

is

lives

New

can find your child by going to

your search.

He

good health now.

Start

and

will find out,

ever searched in that part of the

to befriend you.

Signed,

my

In

answer to the above

letter I inquired

how

the

writer acquired the information she professed to have,

and asked

more

for

search for the child.
Mr.

C.

K. Ross.

specific

To which

—D^ar Sir:—^Your

mystery ; but

home.

I

I will

explain

do not mean

all

for

to

make

the

she replied as follows

letter is at

hand.

As

to

how

I

you ; as much depends on this
when you have your child with you safe

obtained the information I cannot

at

directions

tell

you

to search all over the country.

not take out a search warrant.

Sec a man by the name of

northwest of the Raritan Bay.

The

Do

living

child will be found out on the high-

way, about seven miles northwest of Raritan Bay, in a mountainous
country,
is

and not

far

from a cave or mine.

This portion of the country

not often frequented by strangers, and the child

privileges.

In regard to

this affair,

crown your journey with success.
Yours with respect,

The only
letters

is

allowed outdoor

go on the 13th of May.

May God
.

thing that excited any suspicion that the

were written by a person who was practicing

some kind of fortune-telling, was that a certain day was
on the search. The locality
named has always been regarded as one to which tlie
fixed

on which to

start

THE SEARCH CONTINUED.

20$

child might have been taken, and two of the letters
from the abductors were dated New Brunswick. Its
geography was correctly described, and many points in
her letters gave reason for a belief that her information

might have been obtained from some one residing
northern

New

Nevertheless

Jersey.

me

her in good faith to give
tion,

the source of her informa-

or any
same time I wrote
of the county, making inquiry of him

whether obtained through a

At

other mysterious agency.
to the sheriff

in

wrote, asking

I

From

about the writer.

the

spiritualistic

the

woman

I

received the

fol-

lowing reply:

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

Mr.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

Dear Sir : Your letter is at hand. With regard
C. K. Ross.
medium, I know, nothing of the nature of such had I not known
what I was talking about, I should not have written to you. Not having
asked a fee for my information, I was actuated solely by sympathy with
a mother in such a sad event. Had you placed confidence in what I
wrote you, there would have been no cause for regret ; and not thinking
it necessary to write to you any more, I will close by expressing kindest
sympathy.
Yours truly,
to a

;

.

On receiving this letter I went to New Brunswick,
and with the chief of police of that city and a detective,
started on a tour to find if possible the person named in
her

letter.

river

After several days' travel along the Raritan

and the mountains above

New

Brunswick, we

re-

turned without finding the person; but continued the
search through the mining region of

we became

satisfied that

sheriff, I

no

Jersey, until

strange child had been

About a month

brought there.

New

after writing to the

received an answer from him, saying that the

woman who had

written to

a fortune-teller, and in
successfully.

He

me had some

some

said she

reputation as

cases had divined very

had not traveled much, and

206

CHARLEY

ROSS.

knew

little of localities except what she had learned
from history and geography, but that her memory was

Thus by

very good.

declining to give the

the cunning of this

woman

way by which she had

her professed information,

in

received

became necessary to exam-

it

ine into her reports, as nothing presenting the smallest

appearance of the most remote probability has been permitted to pass by without thorough investigation.

My
was

first

about

and only

a professional fortune-teller

visit to

connection with this search, and was brought

in

in the following

New York

way.

I

received a letter from

City written in German, and in very

handwriting.

Translated,

it

good

reads as follows:

New York.
Mr.

your son,

I

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Since

announcement of the abduction of
have daily perused the reports in the papers bearing on the

C. K. Ross.

the

case with great interest, and

first

among

other matters I noticed that different

persons professed, either by letter or personally, to render assistance for
the recovery of the child.

But, probably for fear of

at the suggestion of the police, or for other causes,

humbug, or perhaps
you have refused to

accept any of their services, thinking, no doubt, that these persons

nothing but their

own

these suppositions, on

been restored

in

pecuniary interest in view.

my

had

In consequence of

part I concluded to wait until quietness

had

your family, prior to making the following propositions

for the recovery of your child.

I

do

this to dispel

any idea of humbug

you may entertain. I have, for years, devoted myself to the study
of Mesmerism, and have found that the thoughts of mankind are brought
into unison by it ; on the one hand soothing and hopeful, and on the

that

other just the reverse, providing you formally believe in the same.

Should you decide to accept, it will be necessary
and have a consultation. Awaiting your answer,
I

am

yours very respectfully,

to see

you personally

.

The neighborhood in New York from which the letter came has always been regarded as suspicious, and
it was thought that possibly an effort might be made
through some such means as this letter indicated to

;

THE SEARCH CONTINUED.
For these

negotiate for the return of the child.
sons,

replied to to

I

it

as follows

20/
rea-

:

Philadelphia.

Madam.
would
favor

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

like to

me

I

have no knowledge of the science of Mesmerism, and

know more

by giving

about

it

before

C.

Respectfully yours,

I

The

You will

making experiments.

fuller explanation.

received in return a long

substance of

it

K. Ross.

letter written in English.

was, that she did not practice mes-

merism, there was an error in translating; it should
have been sympathy which she described as the firm
belief on and in something that we would like to knov/
^

or

find,

and

may, when
object

we

if

minds can be brought

into unison,

everything else fails, get a clue

desire.

An

incident

is

and

we

find the

related of aid given to

who had been lost for seven
by saying, " Should you wish
to try this, you are to come here, as I do not intend to
charge you anything until you find some positive traces
of your child, when the reward .shall be left entirely
with you. Hoping you will not misunderstand me."
To this letter I made no reply, as it did not enlighten
me in regard either to mesmerism or sympathy. But

a lady in recovering a son
years.

The

being in

letter closes

New York

with a detective

officer, in .passing

through the neighborhood where the writer of these
letters lived, I proposed to the officer to call on her, and
tiy to find out if she knew anything that might be of
use to us.

I

had forgotten her name and the

street

but by inquiry we soon found that a person believed to
be a fortune-teller had moved into the neighborhood
very recently, and had her

name on a

small sign.

person giving us the information remarked,
ple only put up the name, as

it is

"

again.st the

The

These peolaw to

tell

CHARLEY

208
their business

nizing the

on a

sign."

name we

ROSS.

Finding the sign, and recog-

sought, the officer knocked at the

basement front door; there was no response; we entered
the hall, and knocked at the first door after entering,
and got no reply. The officer went to the next door
and knocked, and at the same time opened the door
and walked in I followed before I got into the room
I heard a voice saying, " Get out of this, go into the
next room, I'll soon be there." We at once complied,
and in a few minutes the old woman made her appear-

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

ance.

I

know

;

introduced myself, and told her that

I

desired

what way she proposed to aid me in recovering my little son. She said that she could not speak
very good English; but would explain the way the best
she could. She said, You must believe that there is a
sympathy exists between you and your child. I propose to use that to bring him back." She then desired me to give the full name and date of the birth of
the child, and after finishing her story said she had
written another letter for me, and handing it to me said,
"Do you believe I can do what I say?" I replied, "No,
but I would like to ask you some questions." I asked
her where she had lived before coming to this house,
whether she knew several persons whom I named; and
to

in

'*

knew nothing of practical use,
my return home to read her

finding she

promising on
reply to

it,

which

I

left

her,

letter

and

I

did as follows:
Philadelphia.

Madam.
me,

after I

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;As
had

I
it

promised yesterday to reply to the
translated, I

by your conversation

now

as well as

fulfil

by your

my

promise.

letteps,

you handed

letter

As

you require

I

understand,

that I shindd

believe in the system or process by which you purpose to restore

my

particle of faith in charms, astrology, or

any

child, I confess I

have not a

:

THE SEARCH CONTINUED.

2O9
unknown

system that professes to obtain knowledge of things
cealed.

I

do not believe

much.

others, if as

one

is

God

reveals to professionals

Thanking you
I

There

that

am

for

to

your expressions of sympathy,
C. K. Ross.

yours,

my

letter in

or con-

more than

possession which,

sup-

I

pose, relates to that which might properly be called
It certainly advises

witchcraft.

Charley.

German and

It is written in

mode

a very curious

to defeat the abductors in their purposes

and to recover
the translation

as follows

is

Dear Friend. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; In

how

read in a small book
If you follow

my

my

am

the robbers wanted to extort

But you must have

kill

works of God,

hand.

it

of a

the chicken at night, without being seen or heard ; cut out

the chicken's heart on Friday, but nothing else.
left

you.

and blood.

spring chicken that has not laid an egg (but do not buy
;

have

I

money from

faith in the

will result in the restoration of your flesh

Buy a
Woman)

deeply touched, and,

assistance to regain your child.

advice you shall have your child, without any ransom,

in a very short time.

which

your present situation I

render you

if possible, will

You must

the heart in the

first

lay seven skewers

hand and run around the

left

Take

the heart in the

(new) on the

table.

Then

table.

Hold

take one

skewer with the right hand, in the name of God, the Father^ Son and
Holy Ghost, then pierce the skewer from the top through the middle
of the heart, and say " As I am piercing the heart of an innocent hen by
this thrust, so shall the thrust pierce the heart of the guilty robber

my

who

and blood."
The second skewer you have to pierce through the front part of the
heart, and say, " This thrust shall pierce the robber's soul, until there is
took

flesh

what

restored

I

heart and say, "

back to

me my

have

You

lost."

The

third

daring robber,

(here you add the

if

name

you pierce from the other side and

skewer you pierce through the

you intend

to live

of the boy).

you have

to give

The fourth skewer

say, " It stands to you, robber, for life

what is not thine is mine." The fifth skewer from the bottom
of the heart, and say, " Five wounds Jesus was carrying, and you robbers
shall be stricken by them, in the name of God the Father, Son and Holy
or death

;

Ghost:'
Sixth skewer pierce from the top of the right side and say, "

cent chicken's blood shall bring your deeds to light."

The innoThe seventh

2IO

CHARLEY

skewer from the top of

do not do so you

God

side

left

heart until you restore the

little

shall fall

and

" Seven pierces shall have your
which you have taken ; and if you

say,

child,

away

ROSS.

like Boricates

and

Dear Friend Ross,
you back your own
bers will

fall

you do as

I have written to you, they must give
and blood within twenty-one days, for the rob-

if

flesh

away and

find

no

rest.

After you have pierced the heart with seven skewers, you must

the same night, just

name

the

which

that tree

cursed."

when

the clock strikes twelve

Son and Holy Ghost.

of the Father^

But nobody must know anything about

but

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;throw

it

bum

it

in the fire in

Amen.
God alone.

If it is God's
have your child within the stated time, and should you
not have it within the twenty-one days, do the same as first mentioned, but
with the power of the devil, and you will have your child sure. That
will,

you

person

it

shall

who

your child comes in your store a great deal to find out

stole

what you say and do

;

therefore be very quiet, so that he cannot

When

against this undertaking.
will learn about

helped you.

you

my

will

happen

I

it.

I shall

you have your child

make myself known, and

let

you know

have already helped a great many persons.

and hoping you

best respects,

Your most

to you.

will

work

restored, then I

who

Sending

have courage that nothing

obt servant,

.

These few incidents and letters have been introduced
to show that persons entertaining every kind and shade
of opinion, regarding the finding out of hidden things,

have been interested in trying, by their own peculiar
way, to discover where Charley may be concealed.
Moreover, it is proper to mention them, as forming
part of

my

narrative.

A very large proportion
who have

called

upon me

of persons of these classes,
to offer their services, or to

recommend me

to see others supposed to be skilled in

their profession,

were not professionals themselves, but

were actuated by sincere motives to render assistance

So in all the correspondence with these
the same expressions of kindness, sympathy,

in the search.

persons,

and honesty of purpose are manifested; and answers

THE SEARCH CONTINUED.

211

have generally been sent, either by forwarding a circular
and photograph, or by writing, to let them know their
letters were received and their interest in the case appreciated.
We have felt that respect was due to all
who had taken enough interest to write us, whatever
their views might be as to the best way to discover the
kidnappers, or to find the child.

Many convicts, confined in jails and penitentiaries,
who had learned some of the facts concerning the
abduction, and the great interest

felt

everywhere to

discover the perpetrators of the deed, claimed to be

who were

the abductors, or where Charley
men generally withheld the
These
could be found.
important part of the information which they professed
to have, hoping thus to obtain a pardon, or be released
able to

tell

from confinement, before giving all the points but
their stories were obtained and sifted, they proved,
;

when

in every instance, to

way

relating to

my

be either wholly

kind occurred, to which some interest

A man

false

or in no

Several instances of this

case.

is

attached.

confined in Sing Sing prison, writes to the

Chief of Police of this city as follows

:

Sing Sing Prison, September '/th, 1874.
Mr. Kennard H. Jones. Dear Sir: I write this letter to let you
know that I am sure that I know the getter-up of the Ross case, and

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

when you
tor

my

help to

steal

The man
I'll

on

read

belief.

to

my

statement you cannot deny that I have just reasons

Some

a child.

whom

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

time ago I was in your

I refer

was the

admit that I would have gone into
in

my

way.

My

city,

and

I

was there

to

man and myself in the plot.
one who wanted me to go into it.

There was another

it if

everything had been carried

plan was to leave the child where some one could

if we could not get
man who was at the head of the
and gave me the following reasons

pick her up,

:

the

money

out of the parents.

job did not wish to
"If

we

let

The

the child go,

place the child on the street

:

CHARLEY

212

ROSS.

so that some one can pick her up and return her to her parents,
us in the next job.

my

intention to give the next child's parents warning, that

If the parents of this child don't

will

it

come down,

kill

it's

be

will

it

them to settle at once, for if they do not, their child will find
the same end as the former stolen child." It is needless for me to give
you the rest of his plans. It is enough to tell you that his intentions
were to put the child out of the way, or, in plain words, to kill it. This
was too much for me, for although I am as hard as the general run of
If this party had the least doubt of me going back on
cross men, etc.
the job, I know full well that he never would have told me his intenbetter for

had good reasons for thinking me his man for any kind of a
was just out of prison, and he knew that I was ready to go
into almost anything that would bring me a good stake, etc., etc.
Now I am so sure of this being the same man, that I am willing to get

He

tions.

job, for I

a whipping

if

my

story don't turn out true.

get their jackets dusted here

mine cleaned,

so you can

I assure

they don't behave.

if

you the boys do

I don't

depend on every word

want

to get

I write in this letter,

etc.

There
a big

is
it

;

is

a reward of $20,ocx> offered by the city of Philadelphia

sum

of money, and

some men would do almost anything

as for myself I don't care a straw for

it,

but

my

It

to get

liberty I prize greatly.

So if you will guarantee to pay the warden of Sing Sing Prison 15,000,
and do your best to procure my pardon for the sixteen months that I
have yet

to stay here, I will give the

name

of the

man

I refer to.

not ask this until you arrest the party and recover thr child.
advise you to let no one know anything about this
you can depend upon.
Your humble servant,

The child was taken on pleasant days
White made the acquaintance of the girl,

belonging to a wealthy family.
to a park

by a servant

and used

to treat her while she

girl.

was out with the

child.

It

was planned

3

THE SEARCH CONTINUED.
for

the

21

Brown to carry the child ofF, while White diverted the attention of
Brown got frightened, and the job fell through. White told

girl.

him that he had another similar job on hand ; but that he awaited this
one to be done first. White lived three years ago in your city. A Detective has been to see him, and has written to him that AVhite could not
be the man, because he (White) has been in a lunatic asylum for five
I wish you would let me know, through Supt. Walling, if

months.

White

is

in

an asylum or not, and

how he came

If there

there.

thing else you wish to find out from Brown, I will see

Henry Hedden,

Respectfully Yours,

There

is

him

is

any-

again.

Capt. 13th Div,

a striking similarity in the plan proposed

for the abduction of a child

the letter of

Brown

adopted by the

real

to

and getting a ransom,

in

the Chief of Police, to that

abductors;

but the person ac-

cused of suggesting the plan had been in an asylum a
long time before the abduction.
I'

it is

Iowa so badly written that
understand what the writer intended to

received a letter from
difficult to

The substance of it, however, is that the writer
knows where my son is, and wants me to come and
see him iinmediately; that my coming to see him
will be the only way to find him.
An answer was sent, asking more definite informasay.

tion,

and a second

receipt of

my

note,

letter received,

and

acknowledging the

go to Iowa,
and that un-

insisting I should

and he would tell me all about the child,
less I saw him, I should never know any more
This

last letter I

enclosed to the sheriff of the county,

and asked him if he knew the writer, and if so to find
out whether he had any information that would justify
me in going to Iowa. The sheriff returned the letter
with the following endorsement:
the within letter

"The man who wrote

here on a charge of
murder, and has been sentenced to be hung for the
is

confined in

jail

:

CHARLEY

214
crime.

ous

liar;

ROSS.

He

is

regarded in the community as a notori-

he

is

well

known by

all

the officers and lead-

ing citizens about here, and would not be believed

any one under oath.

It is

by

next to impossible for him

Don't give yourself any uneasiness
on account of what he says." This man does not appear to have had any motive in writing to me, and the
only purpose seems to have been to indulge in the habit
of which the sheriff accused him.
Another man confined in Auburn prison, New York,
stated that he formerly associated with Mosher, and
knew his haunts, habits, and associates, and he could
find Charley Ross; insisting that it was necessary for
him to be released from prison to make a personal
search.
However, when pressed by the officers to give
some evidence of his ability to accomplish what he proposed to do, he utterly failed to convince them that he
to speak the truth.

knew anything about the matter. The statements made
by prisoners have always been regarded as unreliable;
but particular care has been taken to

sift

them, and find

out the motives that prompted them.
however, has been found

who

No

prisoner,

could give the least in-

formation about the abductors, except such points as

could be learned from the newspapers.

On

the 14th of September, the following personal

published in the
John

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

Ilat not found.

through an attorney.

To

New York
He

Am

was

Herald:

ready to pay

dare not betray you.

this the following letter

sum demanded,

Name

but only

one anjrwhere.

was received

in reply,

September 25 th
[No. 19.]

New
to day.

Haven, Sept. 23.â&#x20AC;&#x201D; J/r. A*w.â&#x20AC;&#x201D; we did not see yu last answer til
wc was in new brunswic british province and cold not sec the

5

THE SEARCH CONTINUED.

21

New York herald we went there to se if the law would permit us to
make a symultaneous change with yu but we find no such change can
you ask

be efected with safety to our selves,
through an attorney

this is to

to transact the bisiness

absurd to think of for one minute that

does not exist that

we

own

are not wiling that one of our party shall

party and

we

cold tiust to receive that

ognizable by any living person,

we now

as

one with impunity and are determined

to

money

stand

keep

we can

so.

if

man

but one of our

become

rec-

confront any

you be convinced

we have him and want to ransom him why did you not agree to our
proposition,
we have told yu if the money was lost in transit tu us it
that

would be our

los should yu folow our instructions and yu get yu child,
Mr. Ros we cannot show the child to yu and we cannot give you any
more proof than we have ; yu must except this as the only alternitive
left you to ransom him or murder him, for one or the other wil and shal
take place before many days. Yu as his father have been mor cruel to
him than we have. We told yu that his place of cencealment was such
that no living being could find it and that it was not a fit place for any
one to be in the length of time he has been there. We do not keep him
there to punish him ; your detectives have made it much worse for him

than he would be had they not such a close search for him ; he has kept

wonderful considering his close confinement.

his health

him

The

often or even hear from him.

time

last

we

We do not see
se

him he had

been ailing with pain from stoppage of urin he would go 24 and 30
ours without making water and then he would cry with pane when he

would
him.

urinate, but his custodian got

we

tel

yu

positively

Mr. Ros

him som medicine which helped
must be his tomb

his hiding place

act

you bring him out with the ransom for we have a settled plan to
upon and we shal never digress from it and that is death or ransom.

Yu

will find

unless

we

speak truth in

this for

once

if

yu compel us

to put

him

24 ours after, wher yu wil find his
body, as soon as we cop another kid and it wil be a millionaire this
time your child must die. we wil then see if he wil be so heartless as
to let his child die.
you detectives perhaps tel yu that yu wil pay yu
to death

yu

money and

shall receive a letter in

get no child then but

dont want him

yu

shall

you can

much

we dont do

bisiness in that

longer neither dead or alive,

yu pay

way we
for him

so
if not yu shal have him dead,
yu wil get him soon one way or the other, if die
that he has been dead but a few ours when yu git him

have him safe and sound,
rest assured

he must yu shal se

then yu can thank yu friends for their kind advise.
advise

if

we

wil offer yu

if

yu

reject

it

Ros

this is the last

yu can make up yu mind

that the

CHARLEY

2l6

ROSS.

day of grace is forever lost to save your child. Ros if yu want to save
yu child yu must comply with our terms and yu yourself be our Attorney
for

we

see

yu can answer

direct

shall

have no other and

wil

when yu

point,

keep up

this

more evidence

fit

to

this

we

are absolutely determined on that

change yu money

for

yu child

through the herald personal

in the

New

way we

York,

we

unnessary correspondence no longer your asking for

we have him looks
mr hains will

was a scheme of Mr.
Mr Ros
you must be convinced by this time that no reward however large can
effect or influence our party we told yu this at the first and we told yu
how hopelessly it was for yu to search for him when we had taken such
great labor to find a suitable place to conceal him and the imposebility
for any one to find him in our possession when we have it fixed so we
can lanch him into eternity at an instant's warning, and yet yu consent
that a reward shall be offered to induce some one who has no right to
Haines

that

to entrap us, but

to us as if

it

never have that pleasure

approach his hiding place but perhaps yu look upon
yet

fiction

fiction

is

this as

sometimes more stranger than

romance or

truth.

Ros

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;yu

own counciler in getting yu child and then let the detecyu how to get us, take our advice for once and se if we do

should be your
tives council

not give you the best council

terms

now

we

offer

repeat

it

yu conclude
answer

that this thing

is

interval

we

all

is

get yu child at any price on

other advise

drawing

to act as our atty

this as directed

The

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; that

yu regardless of

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; we

to a final crises.

Mr Ros when

and meet us on our terms then yu can

shal henceforth notice nothing else from yu.

between the publication of the

sonal and the date of the letter in reply to

it,

last per-

the ab-

ductors say was caused by their having visited

Brunswick,

any

have told yu and

in the British Provinces, to learn

simultaneous exchange could be

made

New

whether a

there.

They

profess to have been satisfied that this could not be ac-

complished. They decline to act through an attorney,
and assert that they will not confide in any one, believing they are secure from detection, but will keep their
own secret. In answer to the first part of our personal,
" Hat not found," they refuse to send any other proof

than those already given that they have Charley, and

THE SEARCH CONTINUED.
state that unless

They

derer.

not a

I

ransom him

I

21/
be his

will

re-assert that his place of

of time; yet he

is

not kept in

to punish him, but of

it

necessity, in consequence of the close search

injured

by

is

place for any one to be in for any length

fitting

been made

mur-

concealment

for

him.

They say

which has

his health has not been

his close confinement, but

he had suffered

temporarily from a complaint incident to childhood;
that his place of concealment will be his tomb, unless

ransomed, as they have a settled plan to carry out, from

which they
somed, he

should he not be ran-

will not deviate;

be put to death, and that within

will certainly

twenty-four hours after

know where

I shall

to find his

body.

They

profess to be arranging to steal another child,

and when that
can

done

is

my

They

into paying the ransom.
for

must

child

so that they

die,

refer to his death in order to intimidate the parents

more evidence

of Captain Heins,

suspect that the asking

that they have

who the

Charley

They

the pleasure of entrapping them.
place in which the child

with great care, and

him;

it

is

it is

is

a scheme

writer asserts shall never have

repeat that the

secreted has been selected

is

impossible for any one to find

so arranged that at a moment's warning he

can be destroyed without the possibility of their ever

being discovered.
regardless of

They

advise

me

what others may

to

say,

redeem Charley,
and

after that to

allow the detectives to endeavor to find them.
ter

when

concludes by saying that

my own

attorney,

them by another
This
lO

letter is

and agree

I

The

let-

have decided to be

to their terms, I

may

notify

personal.

dated

New

Haven, Connecticut, and

CHARLEY

2l8

ROSS.

shows that the abductors did not remain in one place
for any length of time after they knew they were suspected of having committed the crime. Whether they
went to the British Provinces has not been found out;
but there was sufficient time to have gone there and
returned, there being an interval of seventeen days be-

They realized
last two letters.
had been so outraged by the
crime that it would be unsafe for them to entrust the
exchange to an attorney or any one else, and their only
tween the dates of the

that public sentiment

security lay in keeping the matter under their

The complaint which Charley

own con-

have
had not been thought of by any member of the family since he was stolen, until this letter
called our attention to it. It was then remembered that
on one or two occasions he had complained of pain,
which, however, yielded to mild remedies, without our
trol.

is

said to

suffered from

calling in a physician for treatment.

Notwithstanding

the long period during which the abductors were unable to get the

ransom money, and

their

own knowledge

that they were suspected of having kidnapped the child,

yet they persistently adhered to the original plan, pre-

and cunning which could be
my feelings by repeating the sufferings my little son was compelled to
endure, and what would be the final result if I failed to
comply with their demands.
arranged with
devised.

On

all

the

skill

They continue

the return

home

to lacerate

of Mrs. Ross's brother,

Henry

Europe about the first of September,
although he had been informed of the stealing of Charley, and of many of the facts connected with it, yet he
desired to know what theories concerning the abducLewis, from

THE SEARCH CONTINUED.
tors

2I9

were held by those who were famihar with the
what had been done, and what was being done

case; also

at that time, to find the kidnappers

and to recover the

This information he desired so that he could
decide what action he should take, and what he should
child.

recommend

in the future.
I referred him
McKean,
who had been made
to Mr. Bullitt and Mr.
acquainted with everything that I knew of the matter,

to be

done

and who had studied the
every

way

constant personal

who were

case,

and were aiding

me

in

by their counsel, but by
He was also referred to those

possible, not only
efforts.

interested

and actively working

in

it,

viz:

Captain Heins, the committee of citizens, and the Pin-

kerton detective agency.
these gentlemen

all

After he had learned from*

they could

tell

him,

related to

I

him everything I knew about the matter, and requested
him to see Superintendent Walling in New York, adding that I believed he had the only clue I knew of,
which appeared to me to be correct, and while it was a
mere suspicion, yet there seemed to be so much in favor
of

its

being

right, that before

he did anything

I

desired

he should hear upon what the suspicion was based.
On his return from New York he expressed the opinion
that the suspicions which were entertained there that

Mosher and Douglas (alias Henderson and Clark) were
the abductors, seemed to be plausible, and he had urged
Superintendent Walling to work the case up but at the
same time he did not propose to rely alone on that clue,
but should advocate looking into everything having any
bearing on the case.
Mr. Lewis now entered actively upon the search.
To him all my correspondence was sent. He met the
;

220

CHARLEY

committee of

citizens daily,

here and

authorities

He

required.

ROSS.

and conferred with the

New York, whenever it was
me during the month of Sep-

in

relieved

tember, by assuming a great deal of the labor and
responsibility,

me

in

which had

fallen

on me, and by acting for
I was

many cases which came to his knowledge.

not directly in communication with Supt. Walling, his

correspondence about the case being with the

official

authorities in the city

with the detail of

;

therefore, I

tlie

was not acquainted

operations of the

New York

But having so much at stake, I
York many times to learn what progress

Police Department.

went to New
was being made

in the search for the suspected party.

Supt. Walling assured

me

that he

was doing everything
men;

that possibly could be done towards getting the
that he

knew they were moving about from place to
New York city tliat their arrest was

place, near to

;

simply a question of a short time, and they could not

much

longer elude his

officers,

their tracks very closely.

who were

On my

last

following

interview with

him

in September, he stated that he could get Douglas
any time, and if I wished him to be arrested, he
thought he could have him within two days. I replied
that, "In view of the threats contained in the letters of
the abductors, that the life of the child would be taken
in case one of their party was arrested, I feared to
run the risk of having Douglas taken without Mosher
being arrested at the same time." To which he
replied,
We will have them both we know them
and will pursue them until we find them."
While this trail was being followed up in New York

at

**

;

city,

Mayor

Bricst, of Trenton, with the authorities in

:

THE SEARCH CONTINUED.
that

221

were earnestly engaged

city,

supposed clue

in working up a
which at one time bade fair
but which after much labor and

in that city,

to result favorably

;

time had been spent, proved to be wrong.

Mayor

Briest writes to Capt. Heins as follows

Trenton, N.

Dear

Sir

:

—I

has been impossible for
the

with

J.,

September s, 1S74.

certainly feel a great interest in the

me

to relieve

my mind

Ross

case, for

it

of the impression, that

man we have under surveillance in this city has some connection
it.
Yet I may be mistaken, as others have been, whose impressions

have been equally strong, &c., &c.

Truly Yours,

Briest, Mayor.

He

again writes, September i8th

Captain

Dear Sir:

He

William.

—

:

—

Heins, Detective, Philadelphia.
The man we have been watching, so far has outwitted

R.

on Monday morning about 3 o'clock, with
and umbrella, apparently to take one of the early
trains ; and passed where he must have known a policeman would see
him. He gave the man who was watching him the slip, and again
paraded by the City Hall about 9 a. m., with his duster and umbrella,
us.

left

his residence

carpet-43ag, duster,

but without his carpet-bag,

we

are certain he

scouts

out,

Our aim has been

New

But

York.

this

to arrest

him when

morning, while the

word was sent to the Marshal that he had
which passes this city at 8 A, M., for

the Pittsburg Express,

York.

happened

etc.

going to

were being sent

jumped on

New

is

It

does not generally stop at

to slow

up

this city

to let off a railroad official,

The mention

opening for him to get away.

;

but this morning

and thus made an

of that hat

bemg

lost

on

and the actions of our man to ascertain
whether his movements were watched, etc., has impressed me that there
is a connection somewhere between the two.
Of course, I am free to
acknowledge that I may be mistaken but will not be long in doubt, if
he returns to make this city his headquarters, etc., etc. You have heard
F
's story, and are able to judge what there is in it.
He seems to be
very anxious and earnest about the matter but in this Ross case, when
a man gets an idea in his head about it, he seems unnaturally persistent
Bridge

in this

street

city,

;

;

about

it

until

it

touches bottom.

Yours

truly,

Briest, Mayor.

:

:

CHARLEY

222

October

1st,

ROSS.

again he writes:

—

—

Capt. Wm. R. Heins. Dear Sir: Our man is away, and we have
no trace of him since Saturday. As the personals look as though matters
were coming to a focus, I would be obliged if you would keep me
posted as to the reception of

letters, that

we may

not grope too

the dark, whether our suspicions are well founded or not,

Yours

much

in

etc., etc.

Briest, Mayor,

truly,

Again, on the 30th of October, he writes
Capt.

Wm.

R. Heins.

—Dear Sir —Yours of the 3d received, with
:

thanks for the information.
of his connection with the

Our man
affair grow

is

still

away, and

my

suspicions

stronger instead of lessening, in

the light of the few facts shed upon what appears to be the climax of
this

**

unholy crime."

If the

will promptly advise us,

he does not overreach

we

money

is

to

be paid for the child, and you

will take the responsibility of taking him,

We think he is in

us.

it,

and

that

he

if

will resort

which he seems to have practiced for some ulteHowever, I may be speculating too far.
Very truly yours,
Briest, Mayor,

to his old express job,
rior design.

Again, October 27th, he writes

—

—

Wm. R. Heins. Dear Sir : Surface indications (as they say
mining parlance) have been very few with us lately, in regard to the
missing child ; and from not hearing from you, I had begun to think
CArr.

in

either that the child

had been quietly returned, or that slow progress was

being made in the negotiations to that end.

Briest, Mayor.

The man suspected
crime was known also

of being connected with this
in

New

York, having been arafter pursuing

rested in that city for stealing bonds

him

for

a long

time,

we

;

satisfactorily

ascertained

that he was not implicated in the abduction. Thesis
letters and extracts are given to show, whenever any
degree of suspicion was entertained against a person who was known to be a criminal, how closely his
movements were watched by the authorities in other
cities, and how desirous they have been to assist in

THE SEARCH CONTINUED.
finding the miscreants

223

who had committed

this " un-

holy crime."

At

this stage of the

further search for

my

history I

little

boy.

was disabled

The

for

any

incessant strain

—
—
—

upon mind and body for the past three months the
hope and fear the anxious pursuit the
weary labor by day, and the sleepless nights were

—

alternation of

surely a heavy burden to carry, without the heartless
slanders and infamous calumnies which were coined and

Ross and myself. All these coming
serious inroads upon my reasonably strong constitution, now weakened by intermitting
fever contracted during my fearful and memorable trip
to Albany, through the malarious swamps of New
circulated about Mrs.

on

like a flood

Jersey.

made

For several weeks

I

had

felt

my strength yield-

my system, and for days
was kept up only by force of will, strung to the greatest
tension by longing for our lost darling. When the
break came, it was sudden and overwhelming; both
body and mind succumbed at the same time, and for
nearly four months I was unable to give personal attention to this or any other subject.
During that time
my friends, who had been so closely identified with me
ing to the excessive tax upon

in the great affliction, continued to give their attention

them I am indebted for informawhat was done during these long, weary, blank
and clouded months of October, November, December
and January.
to the search, and to

tion of

—

:

CHAPTER

IX.

—

LAST LETTERS FROM THE ABDUCTORS THEIR TRAGIC
DEATH VIGOROUS SEARCH FOR CHARLEY.

—

|N the 29th of September the following "Personal" appeared in the

New York
Name time

John, your terms are accepted.

ment and

Herald:
between pay-

delivery.

To which an answer was

received as follows

[No. 20.]

New

Brunswtc, Scptcmlxir

30.

Mr. Ros

:

yu have

at length

agreed

how much better would it have been for yu had yu complied at first, we tolil you at first there was no other altemitive left yu
but to part with your mony or yu child for one or the other yu must,
we told yu before it shal not exceed 10 ours from the time we receive the
mony til yu receive yu child and yet it may be a few ours longer, we
must have time to examine the money to see that yu have not got it
secretly marked up.
we tel yu for your own interest not to mark the
notes in any way whatever for if you break the terms of agreement with
us we shal then break it with yu and yu had much better keep your
money for we tel yu positively we would not keep our word, we would
to our terms,

not liberate the child, but on the other hand
faith

yu

with the intention of parting with yu

child

if

money

yu come

to us in

good

for the sake of getting

and saving him from death then we pledge ourselves by all the
in heaven and earth yu shall have yu child saf and

powers that be sacred

we can get him to yu with safety to ourselves we think
yu once how we would return him tu yu. but this is the way
propose to do. we will take him to some ministers house at night
put a label on him stating this is Charley Ros take him immediately to
304 Market st phil or Washington lane germantown yu will find a suffisound as soon as

we
we

told

cient

sum

we have

in his pocket to pay

sent

word

yu

for

yu trouble no reward will be paid,

to his parents stating

(224)

where he

is.

Mr. Ros we do

LAST LETTERS FROM THE ABDUCTORS.
not intend the party where

we

22$

him shall see us at all they will be
them any trouble, we will send

leave

perfect innocent so you should not give

you word immediately

stating

where he

perfectly safe

and sure

for

yu

Mr. Ros

it

yu have

true

it is

he

is

make

but this will

letter

him.

to get

but the probability

is left,

be brought home long before yu the get

will

got tu rely entirely on our honor for the fulfilment of this part of the

bad

contract but you can rely with implicit confidence,

capable of the blackest deeds yet

we have some honer

we

as

are

and

your large

left,

rewards have in a measure proved

this there are 4 of us to divide the
^20,000 among and either one of the 4 could went and got the whole
amount to himself if he had been without principal, how easy could any

one of the 4 went on the

sly

and had us

coped and revealed where

all

was secreted but yu see we have not done it. we have no fear
we have told yu for
of one another though it were a million dollars,
your own interest not tu mark the money which yu intend tu ransom
the child

your child with,

keep

faith

with us and

yu shal have yu child safe and sound

we

will

with the amount in United States notes from
not national bank notes
to

yu

meet us drop a word
friends as

Ros

first

when yu

it

will ever prove.

provide yourself

tu 10 in denomination,

New York

quietly if

yu can take

yu want

exhibition and yu wil relize all your

put yu child

money back

in

many

of

Mr

child.

yu see they have

time has proved this and

Mr Ros

as

yu

tu get

get yu child then let the detectives assist yu.

not the power to do anything,

them so

it

I

with yu and

faith

are all prepared with this and are ready

in the herald

yu choose but do

keep

in lo or 12 ours,

if

when yu

yu

rely

get

upon

him on

6 months for there

is

not a mother in phila that will not pay a dollar to see him.

Throughout

this letter

pers feared either that

it

it is

apparent that the kidnap-

was not

my

purpose to give

them the money, or that attempts would be made to
deceive them in some way; hence they so frequently

me

caution

and

insist

against acting in bad faith towards them,
on receiving United States notes oi small dQ-

numinations.

would be
ing the

money

credit for

In

some

the previous letters they stated

correct.

Charley

it

after find-

In this one matter they claim

principle, and, as evidence of

there are four of
10*

all

to their interest to return

them among

whom

it,

say that

the ^20,000

is

to

CHARLEY

226

ROSS.

be divided, and that cither of the four, by informing on
the rest, could easily have obtained the whole reward
offered

by the Mayor

;

but they boast that they have

kept faith with each other, and would have done so

much had been

if

was supposed
by many persons that by offering a large reward one
of the villains in the plot would be induced to inform
on the rest; but they were so closely bound to each
other that no such results followed. The time for the
times as

fifty

offered.

It

delivery of the child after receiving the

extended; at

first

tended to ten, and

it

was

money

is

again

fixed at five hours, then ex-

now from

ten to twelve hours, claim-

ing an additional allowance to enable them to find the

money
in

correct.

They

state

more

particularly the

way

which they propose to return Charley, and suggest

that

I

make

a public exhibition of

him

to reimburse

myself

As

stated in the last chapter, I

was prevented from

giving further attention to the search, but everything
requiring examination
authorities

the

and

New York

time.
give.

my

here was looked into by the

friends, as well as the clue

police

had worked upon

which
long a

The detail of their operations I am not able
Not only were Westervelt's services engaged

the case, but also those of the person
information of his suspicions that

were the kidnappers.
cers

for so

He

with a

was continually employed

to
in

who gave the first

Mosher and Douglas
number of police offi-

in

endeavoring to

find

the men.

Westervelt never would admit that he had seen the
men, but professed always that he was looking for them,
until

Superintendent Walling learned that he had seen

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
LAST LETTERS FROM THE ABDUCTORS.

22/

them, and told him that he knew he had seen Mosher
and Douglas. He then admitted that he had met them
at two different times, but claimed he could not have
informed the Superintendent in time to be of service to
him.

On

the 7th of October the following personal was

published in the
money

John, the

and manner of

On

New York

is

ready

Herald:
and

state clearly

;

fully

mode

of payment

delivery.

1 6th of October an answer as follows was
which was mailed in Newburg, New York, on
the 15th, although written on nth of October, and
having a post-script dated the 15th

the

received,

:

[No. 21.

Mailed

at

Newburg, N. Y., October

Received

15, 1874.

October 16, 1874.]

Mr. Ros : You say the money is ready how is it then
October i i
we can't come to a speedy compromise if yu was anxious to get yu child
and wiling to pay yu money then there is no trouble about it* we are
anxious to give him up but only on the conditions we have before told
yu you ask again how we are to deliver him to yu we told yu in our last
letter plainly how we would return him to yu
is not that way satisfac.

yu don't want us surely

tory

our of night

him

take

to

family where
if

the

come

way

we

him

any one you appoint but
it is

least

we

loose on the road at the ded
you personaly nor wil we ever

we

will take

him

him

is

a strange

to

not satisfactory to yu then

him
when we do go with him we

are determined in delivering

person shal see our face
pletely disguised

to

expected and where you will be sure to get him

of delivering

to terms for

that will

him

to turn

wil never bring

yu ask

to state plainly

be told yu at the proper time so

cannot
that

shal be

are to pay the

far as the

made
know

we
yu

money

no

com-

money

concerned

is

so long as yu comply
you have to do now in
order to have yu child restorded to yu is to make up yu mind that yu
have got to part with so many dollars and it maters not to yu what
becomes of the money so long as it satisfies our demand we return yu the
that

is

imaterial to

yu what disposal

how yu

to

is

with our demands which you already

child,

of

it

all

yu may have a doubt that yu may not then get yu

cannot give yu the child before

we

get the

money

for then

child,

we

we

part with

CHARLEY

228

ROSS.

every compulsion to make yu pay it. we cannot hand you the child as
yu hand us the money for all the power and all the law is on your side,
the thing is all embodied in a nutshell, the child is of no entrensic
value to us whatever, any further than to compel yu to ransom him if yu
pay the ransom and we do not give him up to yu would any one else
give a dollar for their child when they would have no assurance whatever of getting him. yu certainly would not be fool enough to pay the
ransom the second time when we had not kept faith with yu the first
time but yu ask he might be dead and then we could not give him up—
yes he might have been dead a dozzen times through your neglect to
redeem him but as it hapens he has lived in spite of his close confine-

ment again yu say we might hurried

many

so

crisis yet

true

is

—we

his death as

might but

so long as the inducement

is

we have

threatened

it

has not come to that

it

held out of geting the ransom he

a measure safe but there wil be a time when the inducement wil

is in

cxaust
to

That

times.

when this death takes place it wil be our policy and interest
known to yu at once that others may be wiser than yu if yu

itself

make

it

—

should pay the ransom and then not get yu child would any one else

enough

have

faith

after

paying for him

— Mr. Ros you can

when yu pay yu mony yu
you do.

but the detectives in

that

Haven,

tel

i

assured with
it

his child

confidence

all

wil be imposible unless

hope of geting him without the ransom
the case are powerless, yu get a clue every few

you

in

only a few days ago yu child was seen in

positively

and

tu save

you trouble and anxiety

yu child has not been seen by any human being since the third day

of July other than the party

him

rest

wil get yu child but

yu have ben living

days or rather a false clue,

New

ransom when Ros did not get

in us to p:;y a

five

who have been in charge we could
; when we return
him

miles without being arrested

will be in the night time

there yu can have no faith in

while

we have him

ready,
tled.

when yu hear yu

if at all

that

for

it.

yu can

yu

it

seen here or

he wil not be seen by any one

rest assured of.

Mr. Ros

this continual
oiur

yu say yu money

correspondence looks to us as

whereabouts.

they succeed in capturing one of us

decree.

is

is

are you ready to take a short journey and have this thing set-

but a ruse to get a clue to

child.

child

not take
to

Do
If

3ru

believe

yu banish

it

all

or not

it

would

—whether

We tel

yu

if it

was

positively should

certainly prove death to

or not

it

yu

wil not alter our

hope of ever geting yu child

til

yu ransom

him and drop

the detectives yu wil then take a rational view of the

thing and see

in

month;

it

its

true light.

part of us did go, but

we

We told

yu we were going

to

urope

last

expect them back in few days and then

LAST LETTERS FROM THE ABDUCTORS.
we

can

the

New York

October
it

for

15

if

We wil see

yu are ready.

the personals in

herald.

—we had almost concluded

you ask questions

want now
your

the business

settle

229

—

that

yu are ready

if

after writing this not to

answered planly
to

—but we wil

pay we are ready

see

send

what you

to return the child to

satisfaction.

This

than a repetition of several

letter is little else

They, however, say the child is still
and declare his safety from a violent death so long as there is
a prospect of getting the money. They also state that
he has, since the 3d of July, been seen only by those
having charge of him, and that when he is returned it

already given.

living notwithstanding his close confinement,

will

be

in the night,

by persons

They also say that should one

nition will be impossible.

of their party be captured the
certainly be taken.
is

disguised, so that recog-

They

of the child would

life

suspect this correspondence

kept up on our part in order to get a clue to their

This was our real object, but they kept
moving about from place to place so frequently that it
was not possible to keep pace with them.
The following letter was received from Superintenwhereabouts.

dent Walling about this time, reporting his progress in
the

Mosher and Douglas

investigation:

New York,
Wm.

—Dear Sir:—
on the

I

saw

my informant

right track, but they

and he has not been able

made with

who

to find

;

where

no child would be

could raise money.

guilty parties

compromise

night; he says that

last

we

are surely

have hopes of getting the child redeemed,
it is.

I think any arrangements

would be a
had parents or

the kidnappers for the restoration of the child

public calamity
friends

October 22, 1874.

R. Heins, Esq., Captain Detective Police, Philadelphia.

is

and the child

at

I

safe hereafter if

am

it

confident that I shall get the

some time not

far distant,

provided no

made with them.
Very respectfully yours,

Geo.

etc.

W. Walling,

Superintendent,

:

CHARLEY

230

And

ROSS.

on the 28th of October he writes thus:

New York,
W.

—Yours
went

He

to

of yesterday received.

where they used

On Monday

to meet, but

inquired for Westervelt.

I

Of

ing for him.

heard

course I did not

tervelt has kept faith with

am

satisfied that I

night Clark alias Douglas

found the lager beer saloon closed.
it

yesterday morning, and about

an hour afterwards Westervelt came and told

I

October 2S, 1874,

R. Heins, Captain Detective Police, Philadelphia.— 5/>.*

tell

him

I

me

Clark had been inquir-

knew

it;

so I think

Wes-

me.

could get Clark alias Douglas, as I have heard

from him several times, but he was always alone. I do not want to get
him without Mosher. I am in hopes of locating the child soon, as I
There
.
now think Westervelt was mistaken in his suspicions of
is

another person

we

suspect as having custody of the child, as he has

been missing since the disappearance, and he was intimate with them.
Geo. W. Walling, SuperinUnderU,
Yours, etc.

He

writes again

Captain Heins.

man

of

whom

I

on November

4th, 1874:

—Dear Sir:—Since you were here I

have seen the

spoke to you about getting information of Mosher.

He

some one has been to every place where Mosher used to go, and
inquired for him, and that they all know he is wanted and what for,
and that he is secreted. I also saw Westervelt, and accused him of
having played me false. He swears he has not, and says that he has seen
Douglas and could get him for me, but does not know where Mosher
is.
I am certain that they are the parties, and am equally certain that
they will not harm the child.
I wish the boy's friends could make up their minds to defy the kidnappers ; had they done so a month ago, I believe the child would now
be at home with its mother. Nothing but the hope of gain and being
able to make a bargain for their security, I am confident, causes them to
says

keep possession of the
Yours

child.

truly,

Geo.

W. Walling, Superi$itendent,

Again, on November 12th, he says
The

parties are

hard up and have come to the end of their

We are pushing them so hard that they dare
I don't think Douglas will squeal unless
Yours,

etc.,

Geo.

we

tether.

not get out to do anything.

can get hold of him.

W. Walling,

Superintendent.

1

LAST LETTERS FROM THE ABDUCTORS.

WesMosher and Doug-

Before the Superintendent succeeded
tervelt's

consent to help him to find

23

in getting

if he was successful he should
have the full amount of the twenty thousand dollars
reward offered for the abductors and the child. For
some time Westervelt professed to be working for that
object; but subsequently told Mr. Walling that he

las,

he promised him that

would not give information of his brother-in-law, but
would " give Douglas away." The Superintendent hesitated to assume the responsibility of taking Douglas
alone, knowing that Mosher was the principal in the

He

plot.

feared that the threats

made

against the

life

of the child in the event of one arrest would be put into
He finally, however, directed Westervelt to
execution.

put him
velt

in the

way

of getting Douglas.

never did, although

This Wester-

opportunities were

several

which became known at a subsequent time.
In October Mr. Walling learning that Mosher and Douglass were on a boat in some of the waters near New York,
afforded,

wrote to Capt. Reins. Mr. McKean suggested that a
steam-tug be chartered and sent in search of them.
The necessary funds were remitted, and Detective Wood
of this

city,

with two officers from

New

York, and an
men to be

other person well acquainted with both the

sought and

localities to

be

visited,

were sent on a steam

launch to carry out Superintendent Walling's plan.
the Hudson River as far as Newburg,
examining all the creeks emptying into the river on
both sides; returning they entered the East River and
searched all the inlets and coves on both sides of Long
Island Sound, and after being absent about eleven days
returned without getting any trace of the fugitives.

They went up

CHARLEY

232

ROSS.

Officers were detailed to watch Astoria ferry, reported

by Westervelt

He

found.

as a place

where the at^ductors might be

also informed the Superintendent of a res-

taurant where they had taken meals

when

New York.

in

After vainly watching these places for weeks the

offi-

were withdrawn. On the 28th of October the
following personal appeared in the New York Herald:

cers

Will relative answer ?

John, too sick to take journey.

And

on the 31st the following reply was received,

dated Philadelphia:
[No. 22.]

Phila Oct 31

we would

Mr Ros we

the fate of your child

yu

with us

breaking

good

you

told

deal with none but you

beginning of

this bisnes

would depend upon your

actions in dealing

we know you would not intentionally sacrifice your child
faith with us we told you in dealing with us you must act
and any breach of

faith

Mr Ros

certain death

who he may be

in

in

on your part would be meeted out in

faith

you have any relation or friend

if

delegate to this important bisines then

we

at the

the reason of this must be apparent to

we

that

you can

him

are ready to deal with

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

mr hines or the states attorney we
are willing to negociate with him but mr Ros we want you not to deceive
yourself in this bisines for we tell you plainly his acts will involve the
life or death of your child
we shall regard him as your substitute in
care not

if it

every particular and hold the
tions.

we

Mr Ros

life

of your child responsible for his ac-

we

from your answers

understood you agree to the terms

send your substitute to

previously dictated,

november with the means
must be

be

to settle this bisines.

in every particular as

we

New

York tuesday 3rd
remember the money

directed for you can accomplish nothing

with us in using any stratagem for

we

will not release the child

any other circumstances then your carrying out the terms

in

good

under
faith

unnecessary for us to pledge ourselves in any way in regard
to the child being immediately returned to you.
all we can do or say is

with us

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

it

it is

shall

be our

all right,

you
it

safely,

we

first

move

shall spare

though

it

to restore the child after

no trouble or expense

cost us five

in order to return the child,

shal have

him

as safe

thousand

but

it

we

see the

money

is

in returning the child to

we would

not hesitate to use

will not cost us ten dollars

and sound as he was on the

first

and you

day of July

last

l\x<aA^^x. /^,-vJhaJ

I^tIW} /jr^^w^

Vcn-

jiA>>-*tllX

jy^ \X1aK^

Reduced Fac- Simile of Letter Number Twenty-two.

Reduced Fac- Simile of Letter Number Twenty-two.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

:

LAST LETTERS FROM THE ABDUCTORS.
when he was
on arriving

playing in front of your door with Walter,

new York must

in

hotel with his

stoping at

Mr Ros

in full.

your substitute

John i am
you say the money

put a personal in herald,

name

23/

say.

ready and your substitute, and we are ready, then November the
3d wil prove or disprove the sincerity of your action. Mr Ros you see
by this we have come among you once more.
is

The

abductors, holding the Hfe of the child as the for-

should there be an attempt at any deception on my
part, were bold enough to say that any one, even Capfeit

Heins or the district attorney, may act as my subpaying the money. They appoint November
3d as the day on which my substitute should be in New
York. Previous to his going, they require to be noti-

tain

stitute in

fied at

what hotel he would

be,

and also that his

full

name be placed to the advertisement. They say after
the money is found to be right they will return the
child regardless of cost, as safe and

sound as

on the day he was taken away, and boastingly

was

he.

call at-

On

tention to the fact of their being in Philadelphia.

November another personal was
the New York Herald^ as follows

the 3d of

Relative will not sign his

nama

same day the following answer was

sent

John, change address of personals.
in

inserted ir

full.

And on
New

from

the

Brunswick,

New

Jersey:

[No. 22^.]
Brunswick, November 3 Mr. Ros. it looks very strange to us
you should quible about the name to address us. is your object to

New
that

keep the detectives informed of our whereabouts by having us writing

you so

often,

you and

it is

it

looks so but time will prove

better than all the detectives

squarely in this bisnes

if

all things,

is

is

to

to act

we think
for your child,
we are satisfied the detecinterest we know all about their

you have any regard

we have

cautioned you enough on this point,

tives are

working the thing up

to their

our advice

combined can give you

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
CHARLEY

238
doings and

you

how

about them but our place

you give more money

mony

foolishly

fabricated

when

we

lies,

Mr

they are bleeding you and

open your eyes to their games,

will

ROSS.

is

mum

and yours

to

keep

it

makes us jealous

out.

your money

louis out of

by the by we could

tell

you much

to investigate before

to see

you pay out your

they can give you nothing in return but a parcel of

we

confes

equivalent to give you in return,

if

you child

b

toâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;but we have an

any equivalent,

you will
no other earthly party in this world to
you want to recover your child. Mr. Ros

find sooner or later that there

deal with than ourselves

are bleeding you
if

is

why could

not your relative give any

to address

him

as yourself in every sense of the

name so that we could have a name
name is we shall regard him
word so look to whom you appoint to

transact this business for you.

we

on

?

it

matters not what the

tell

to transact the bisines with us but

that his acts are your acts

and

if

in

and

it

dealing with us the

that

life

or

Mr. Ros you may appoint any one

death of yu child shall hang now.

you please

you positivey and absoluty

rong square or crooked

his acts right or

we want you to bear in mind

be consumated

shall

you want your child safe and sound

just as

this is the final

you

will

it

day of salvation,

we have been at least under I15 a day expense since we had him but that
is our own affair,
you may have been under five times that expense for
what we know. Mr Ross you must not be deceived from this because we
are under expenses from keeping him that we will turn him loose should
you not meet our demands, we tell you positively we could not do it
we would not do it should it benefit us the whole amount of |20,ooo
than for the redemption of your child, you may think from this should
you pay the demands, we might not then return your child. Mr Ros
when you have paid our demands in good faith you have answered all
we can ask of you and we tell you as we have told you before that your
child

is

not worth one cent to us after that ony to return

we would

not

strange as this

fail

to

you may

on

rely

any event

may appear

you not come
for

in

to

our terms
it

to

you yet

it is

you never

return

one of us

to

perform

him

to

you and

you for $10,000.

to

our interest to do so.

it is

should

our interest that you never get him and

you may think

will alive,

any sivelized person to perpetrate but

lot of

him

it if it

comes

we

tell

you

this is to cruel

positively

to this crises,

you

it is

the

will not be

able by any quibbling to stay the hand of fate much longer from him.
we have kept him over one hundred days longer than we expected,
now it is for you alone to say whether he shal live or die. this is the
last letter we shall we ever send you till we send you the final one revealins>i:

to

YOU whether he

is

either alive or

dead

just as

you will

it

to be.

:

LAST LETTERS FROM THE ABDUCTORS.
you need not ask more questions
will be returned,
let

him come

to

New

be noticed no answer

for they will not

you appoint any one

if

York make

it

conduct

to

this business for

known through

address he choses.

this address will

who he may be must not leave the
you mean square bisiness have your

Friday's

do (John Johnathan

is

Johnathan or
if

Herald (N. Y.) and be

Mr. Ros bear in mind

in

New

this is the last

from us unless you come

to

New York

The abductors again

you

personal with any

so and so.

hears from us.

239

stopping at
hotel

till

he

personal in

York on Saturday morning.

and

fifial

letter

you ever receive

to close this bismess.

intimate that

we

are keeping

up this correspondence for the purpose of tracing them,
and warn us that the money being used in looking for
them is spent foohshly. They profess to know what
the detectives are doing, and state that they cannot aid
me; -they themselves, and they alone, can give me an
equivalent for the money by returning the child. Whoever
will

may

act as

my

agent in transacting this business

be regarded as myself, and on his action the

life

of

They say they have been at an
expense of fifteen dollars per day since Charley was
taken, and have kept him one hundred days longer
than they expected; that after the money is received the
the child will depend.

child will not be worth one cent to them, having an-

swered all the ends for which he was taken; but add
that should the money not be paid, I will never get him
They declare
alive, but will be informed of his death.
that this

is

the last letter they will send, unless they

write to reveal the fact of his death; that

the lot of one of

them

to kill

him

if

he

is

it

has fallen to

not redeemed;

and give the address for the next personal to be put in
the Herald of November 6th. This appeared in the
paper on that date, and is as follows
John, you must cliange the

come

too well

known.

name

of John for personals.

It

has be-

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
CHARLEY

240

On

the 7th of

ROSS.

November

the following reply was

received, dated Philadelphia:
Phila., Nov.

[No. 23.]
told you in the

Mr. Ros: we

6.

not write you any more,

we had

of trouble
to close

left

this

phila for

we

up the business,

last positively

we

rould

dozing about puts us to no small amount

New York

told

you

thinking you were ready

p>osiiively procrastination is

dan-

had we accomplished what we have been fishing for the last
three months your child would now have been dead but we have not yet

gerous,

caught the

something
site

fish

we

wanted,

is

but a small item compared with

you or we should never troubled you.

keep

this negotiation a secret

your doings not that

we

settle

tliis

business

if

we made you

with yourself

whom

two days

500 miles

off

day.

in

it

This

is

to

life

good

of your child,

faith,

we mean

to

own name

say

New York

for

we want
we may be

yu

yu can say tuesday nov
i

will

this thing

must come and

10.

be stoping so and so

do not leave the hotel wherever you may be stoping

minute during the day),

to fulfil

the result depends entirely

to transact this business for

you come

for time to get there

(choose your

a wise policy in

is

own game.

you are sincere you would be anxious

you appoint

notice before

and we ask

Saul of Tarsus,

if

you regard the

every promise

at least

Mr. Ros you have asked to

between ourselves

fear being traped in our

positively the last from us.

all

yours

Walter said you owned the two new houses right oppo-

else.

shall

come

to

for

one

a close

in a few days.

In

this,

the last letter received from the abductors,

they hint that they have been trying

for three

to steal another child, and had they succeeded

months

my child

and a ransom demanded for
compared with which the twenty
thousand required from me would be an insignificant
sum. They also state that Walter misled them regarding my circumstances by telling them I owned two new
houses which had been built opposite to my residence.
Tuesday, November loth, is fixed as the day on which
my representative is asked to be in New York to pay
over the money, and the address of the personal is
changed to " Saul of Tarsus."

would have been
their

new

victim,

killed,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
LAST LETTERS FROM THE ABDUCTORS.

24I

months had now passed since Charley had been stolen. The poHce and detective agencies, with all their unremitted and almost superhuman
efforts, had failed to find the thieves, or get a clue to
the place where they had hidden their victim. Twentythree letters written and mailed in different places had

More than

four

been received from the abductors, bidding defiance to
the best detective skill. Contrary to our expectation
and hope, the abductors had not made a single error, or
the smallest

slip,

by which they could be

with a shrewdness and cunning

far

traced; but

above ordinary crim-

inals,

they had successfully evaded pursuit, and baffled

every

effort at discovery.

Four months were these of acute suffering to my
family and friends and now I was so ill that for a time
my life was despaired of, and it was thought by my
;

medical attendants that nothing but the speedy return

my broken mind and body
which was crushing me must
be removed in order to a mental and physical restoration.
The want of success in the past led to little hope
of recovery of Charley by the same appliances in the
immediate present. Besides, Mrs. Ross was weighed
down with the accumulation of trouble; and thus, in the
double hope of saving my life and recovering Charley,
she consented to have the child restored by paying the
ransom. This her brothers determined to do in the
way pointed out by the abductors, paying them the
money and taking the risk of getting the child afterwards. As the authorities both here and in New York
knew of the change of address of the personals from
"John" to "Saul of Tarsus," they were informed that it
of

Charley could

restore

that the load of trouble

:

CHARLEY

242

:

ROSS.

was the purpose of Mrs. Ross's brothers to redeem the
child by paying the ransom which the abductors demanded, and on the 1 3th of November, Superintendent
Walling wrote as follows to Captain Heins
Dear Sir. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Please see Mr. Lewis and say to him that

I think

it

dan-

gerous for parties to meet relative to any negotiations for the child, with

amouut of money, unless they have some

a large

officers

within

the parties might be disguised, and in case the villains were to

call, as
fail

in

making terms, they might take desperate chances to obtain the money.
Geo. W. Walling, Superintendent.

Notwithstanding the caution of the Superintendent,
the family proposed in good faith to deliver the
at the appointed place.

money

In order to notify the abduc-

was pubHerald of November 15th:

tors of this purpose, the following personal

New York

lished in the
Saul of Tarsus.

Fifth

Avenue Hotel, Wednesday,

the iSth

F.

day.

W.

inst.

All

Lin'COLN

On the 17th of November, my wife's brother and her
nephew took rooms at the Fifth Avenue Hotel, registering the name F. W. Lincoln, to correspond with the
personal, remaining continuously in their room from
the time of their arrival until the evening of the follow-

ing day.

They had with them a

satchel containing

;$20,ooo in United States notes of denominations of from

ones to tens as required, and were kept in nervous

No one called for the money,
and on the 19th,. the following day, they published in
the same paper a personal as follows
anxiety the entire day.

Saul of Tarsus.

broken

faith;

we

We have
will

performed our part to the

have no more

trifling; action

letter,

you have

must now be simul-

taneous.

No

answer was ever received to either of the last two
Thus was ended a correspondence charac-

personals.

LAST LETTERS FROM THE ABDUCTORS.
terized

by a

243

heartlessness and brutality unsurpassed in

the annals of crime.

Heart-rending as was the abduc-

tion in

itself,

the letters immeasurably increased the

torture.

It is

impossible to conceive of anything more

cruel than the continual threats to annihilate the child

should the demands of the kidnappers not be fully

complied with.

These
'Stir

terrible letters, full of everything calculated to

a parent's soul to the lowest depths, were in such

accord with the cold-blooded scheme, that for

five

long

months a constant dread possessed us that the threats
they contained would be literally executed; and though
our hearts yearned to hear something of our suffering
stolen one, yet each letter was opened with fear and
trembling. It might announce our Charley's death
by murderous hands, and notify us of the place where
his lifeless remains were deposited, or tell us how he
was pining away in sickness and darkness away from
his home and those who loved him
away from the
sympathy and tender care of his mother with none
near him but such wretches as those who stole him,
whose hearts were too hard to relent at his cries, or to
be moved by his sufferings. None but ourselves can

—

ever

know how

—
—

the draught in the chalice.

bitter

Truthfully did these villians say in one of their
" You

may

think this

to perpetrate ; but

we

is

letters,

too cruel for civilized persons

tell

you

positively

It is

the lot of

on9 of us to perform it." Monstrous indeed is it, that
men should be so devoid of all human feelings as to
avow that they even contemplated sacrificing the life of
a little child for the sake of money, and in advance
to notify the parents of their purpose.
realize

it

is

nigh impossible.

Yet

it is

so

—to

CHARLEY

244

ROSS.

come to the hotel on
ransom money, caused
our friends to determine not to hand over the money
unless Charley was given up at the same time; hence

The

the

1

failure

8th of

of the abductors to

November

in the last personal

it

for the

is

positively said that the ex-

The kidnappers
change must now
evidently were afraid to show themselves, notwithstanding the boldness they assumed and the security they
professed; and when the time to fill an appointment
be simultaneous.

arrived they failed to carry out their plans.
for

them was continued with unabated

The search

activity.

Their

usual haunts were watched, and a constant eye kept on
the various saloons along the river-front and elsewhere.

A detective obtained
attendant where

a situation in a restaurant as an

was said they occasionally took their
meals. Officers were placed in a house opposite the
premises of a notorious receiver of stolen goods, where
it

they usually disposed of their plunder.

On

several oc-

casions detectives were close on the tracks of the criminals,

and

at

one time they entered a suspected saloon
men had left there about an hour before.

to find that the

All knowledge of their whereabouts was denied by

known, and who actually did
know. Notwithstanding all these difificulties, they were
hunted for as by bloodhounds after their prey.' They
the letters posted
felt that they were not safe anywhere
in so many different places indicate that they were indeed fugitives and so hard were they pressed by the
officers that they were forced to remain almost wholly
on the water, visiting New York at rare intervals, and
then only in the night in the most secret way. Soon
they were brought to distress and suffering for both
those

who ought

to have

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

LAST LETTERS FROM THE ABDUCTORS.
food and

245

and under these circumstances
supply their most pressing

clothing',

resorted to burglary to
necessities.

On

the eastern side of the upper bay of

New

York,

Long Island shore rises into an uneven and beautifully wooded bluff known as Bay Ridge.
Along its
the

slopes

and summits are a large number of

cottages, mostly

New

summer

villas

and

residences of wealthy citizens

It is

regarded as one of the most de-

lightful places in the

neighborhood of the metropolis.

of

On

York.

one of the highlands that curve the water's edge

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;about a mile

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

are two handdistant from the shore
some dwellings, one of which is occupied permanently
by I. Holmes Van Brunt, the other as a summer residence by his brother. Judge Van Brunt, of the Supreme
Court of New York. The houses are separated by a

narrow lawn.

Before closing the house for the season

the Judge furnished

it

with a burglar-alarm telegraph,

which conveys information of the slightest interference
with any of its doors or windows into the bed-room of

On the morning
two o'clock, this alarm-bell rang
violently.
Mr. Van Brunt was at once awakened, and
immediately called his son Albert, who was asleep.
When Albert came down stairs the father said, "Go
over and see what has sounded that alarm; I think the
wind has blown open one of those blinds again," an occurrence which had more than once before caused the

his brother in the adjoining house.

of

December

14th, at

The young man went, first taking the precaution to put a pistol in his pocket. Approaching his
uncle's house he noticed a flickering light through the

bell to ring.

blinds of one of the

windows; he returned and told his

CHARLEY

246

ROSS.

father about the light, procured a lantern for himself,

and went

who

to arouse

William Scott, the Judge's gardener,
and who had the keys

lived in a cottage close by,

of the Judge's house. On their way back, Scott and
Albert ascertained that more than one man was in the

house with the

light.

They then awoke Herman Frank,
man in front and

the hired man, and after placing one

another behind the Judge's house, Albert returned to
his father and reported what he had seen and done.

His father, although seriously suffering from

illness, after

getting together the arms in the house, joined his son,

and
*'

calling the gardener

Now

boys,

each other;

and hired man to him, said,
do, and must understand

we have work to
we must capture

if

we can

will

have to

those fellows

we

without killing them, but

if

defend ourselves.

you and Scott stand before the
take the rear, and whatever

front door,

Albert,

Frank and

happens afterward,
take up; because

let

if

they

resist

I will

us remain in the positions

we move around we

will

we

first

be certain

dark to shoot one another instead of the thieves.
Whichever way they come, let the two who meet them
take care of them as best they can if they come out
and scatter both ways, then we will all have a chance
in the

;

to work."

The

party took their respective places

night was pitch dark, cold and wet.

;

the

The watchers

waited patiently for nearly an hour, while the burglars
went through every room in the house, with the rays
from their dark lanterns flashing now and then through
the chinks in the shutters.

At

to the basement floor

window of this

and into the pantry.
Van Brunt could see
He could have
of the two burglars.

little

distinctly the faces

came down
Through the

length they

apartment Mr.

LAST LETTERS FROM THE ABDUCTORS.
shot them
setf

and

down

24/

there and then in perfect safety to him-

his companions, but

he wished to

refrain

from

taking hfe until he could be certain that the robbers

He did not wish to kill them
any other way than in self-defense.
The elder Van Brunt, finding he was growing numb
and weak from the effects of the cold, damp air of the inclement night, determined "to push things," and standing in front of the back door, ordered the hired man to
open it quickly. In trying to get the key into the keyhole he made a noise which the quick-eared burglars
heard. Their light went out immediately, and their
footsteps were heard ascending the cellar stairs.
Mr.
Van Brunt and his man moved towards the trap-door
would show

resistance.

in the house, nor in

of the cellar, the lock of which had been broken. This
was soon opened, and the body of a man started up,
followed by the head of another.
Mr. Van Brunt cried
out " Halt," in response to which two pistol shots from

the cellar door flashed almost in his face, but without
injuring him.

He

then fired his shot-gun at the fore-

most man, and a cry of agony followed. The other
man fired at him a second time, and then ran towards
the front of the house. There he dashed almost into
the arms of the younger Van Brunt, at whom he fired
two more shots, luckily missing him also, and before

arm was struck down
by a blow from Mr. Van Brunt's shot-gun, which was

the pistol could be fired again his

shattered.

Uttering a terrible oath the burglar

now

re-

he had gone many rods Mr. Van
Brunt sent a bullet into the would-be murderer's back.

treated, but before

The

desperate house-breaker staggered for an instant,

and then

fell

dead.

CHARLEY

248

Meanwhile

the

wounded from

ROSS.

other burglar, although

the elder

Van

Brunt's

now ceased, the

only

mortally

continued

he was exhausted.

to shoot in the dark until
firing

first fire,

thmg positively known,

The
after

the second or third shot, being the gratifying fact that

while none of the defenders of the Judge's property

were hurt, the two burglars were literally riddled with
shot and bullets. One was stone dead, with his empty
revolver under his head
o'clock

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;only

aroused by the

the other lived until five

;

about two hours.
firing,

Several neighbors,

came rushing

to the place,

and got

by the time the fight was over one of whom was
asked by the wounded man to give him some whisky.

there

;

it, he pushed it away, and called for water,
He was then asked who
eagerly.
drank
which he
they were, and where they came from ? He replied,
" Men, I wont lie to you my name is Joseph Douglas,

After tasting

;

and that man over there is William Mosher." He
spelled M-o-s-H-E-R-'s name, adding, " Mosher lives in
the city (New York), and I have no home. I am a
single man, and have no relatives except a brother and
sister,

whom

Mosher

is

I

have not seen for twelve or

a married man, and has

fifteen years.

five

children."

Believing himself to be mortally wounded, he continued

:

" I

have

;^40 in

my

pocket

;

I

wish to be buried

with it I made it honestly." Then he said, " It's no use
lying now : Mosher and I stole Charley Ross from
;

Gertnanto^vn"
replied, "

When

asked

To make money."

why they stole him, he
He was then asked who

had charge of the child to which he replied, " Mosher
knows all about the child ask him." He was then
told that Mosher was dead, and was raised up so that
;

;

LAST LETTERS FROM THE ABDUCTORS.

249

he could see the dead body of his partner in guilt. He
exclaimed, " God help his poor wife and family." To
the question, "could he tell where the child was;" he
answered, "

God knows

you the

I tell

truth

;

don't

I

know where he is Mosher knew." The same question
was repeated a number of times to him but he gave
no further information, but said, " Superintendent Walling knows all about us, and was after us, and now he
shall have us.
Send him word. The child will be
He told
returned home safe and sound in a few days."
his inquirers that they had come over in a sloop which
was lying in the cove, and begged them not to question
him any more, and not to move him, as it hurt him to
;

;

He

talk or to move.
fifteen

remained conscious

minutes before his death.

agony, lying on the spot where he had
with the descending
miserable

life

feelings of the

retribution

word escaped

his lips

:

:

in

rending the heart-

So

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;no prayer was he per-

suddenly, as by the stroke of light-

of the transgressor

On

swiftly did

companion, that not one
no message to his family no

ning, was his soul ushered into eternity.

way

in

drenched

his

confession of his terrible crimes

mitted to utter

fallen,

him, and in outraging

civilized world.

come upon

about

ended the purposeless and

who aided
unknown to

of one

strings of a family

the

rain,

until

Thus writhing

is

Surely " the

hard."

the morning of the 14th December, Supt. Wal-

ling received a telegram from Justice Church, of

Bay

Ridge, stating that two men, Mosher and Douglas, had
been shot and killed in attempting a burglary, and one
of them had confessed that they were the abductors
of Charley Ross, and that the Superintendent was
II*

CHARLEY

250
searching for them.
in reply that

ROSS.

Supt. Walling telegraphed at once

they were the very

men he was

searching

and he would send a detective to identify them.
Detective Silleck was at once dispatched to Bay
Ridge, and as soon as he saw the dead bodies of
Mosher and Douglas, he said, pointing to the one, and
then to the other, ''That is Joe Douglas, and tJtat is Bill
Mosher. Take the glove off his left hand, and you'll
for,

find

a withered finger."

in his early life

Detective Sellick

Mosher had

knew

that

lost the dividing cartilage

of the nose from disease, and his appearance and

speech from that cause was peculiar.

He

also

knew

on Mosher's left hand
had withered away to a point, and the nail on the
finger had grown to the shape of a parrot's beak.
To
conceal this defect, he usually wore gloves. On receipt
of the dispatch from Bay Ridge, Supt. Walling telegraphed to Capt. Heins the intelligence of the death of
Mosher and Douglas, with the confession of the latter,
and requested him to come to New York. The Cap-

that from a felon the

tain, as

the

finger

soon as he received the telegram, said that

men had

there

first

if

not told where the child was concealed,

would be greater

diflficulty in

they lived, there

him now

finding

than there would have been had they lived

;

for while

was a prospect of arresting them, and

through them of recovering the

child.

Mr.

McKean

by the next train,
left
first arranging with my nephew to telegraph him to
take my son Walter and the gardener, who had seen
the men driving on the lane, to New York^ for the purwith Captain Heins

Philadelphia

pose of identification in case the bodies were not
ured,

and could be recognized.

disfig-

In accordance with

LAST LETTERS FROM THE ABDUCTORS.
this

2$!

arrangement^ the following telegram was sent,

dated

New

York, December

Frank D. Lewis.

Have hope

Bring Walter over.

1874:

of finding

where the child

\Vm. R. Heins,

Tell the chief, and keep quiet.

On

14,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Superintendent says the bodies are not

the following morning,

disfigured.
is

to-night.

CaJ>t. Detectives.

December

15th, Walter,

W. Lewis and Peter Callahan,
New York in response to the tele-

with his uncle Joseph
the gardener, went to

gram

Walter had not
for what object
While there no one was al-

received from Captain Heins.

heard of the tragedy, and did not

he was taken to

New York.

know

lowed to converse with him on the subject. The reason
for this was, that he might see the dead bodies of

Mosher and Douglas before any one could speak to
him about what had taken place on the previous day at
Bay Ridge, so that when taken to the Morgue in Brooklyn, to which the bodies had been removed, he was in
perfect ignorance of the purpose of his visit, or of the

catastrophe that had necessitated

been stowed away

in

it.

The

bodies had

a vault the night before.

When

they were brought out the child Walter was startled at
first,

and seemed greatly agitated; soon he recovered
and the recognition, as described by an eye-

himself,

When the bodies were shown
Walter he was left to himself, no one asking
any questions. His recognition of Mosher, the older
of the two burglars, was slow and gradual, his memory

witness,
to

is

as follows

:

"

little

reviving

by degrees

of the younger
he's

;

but the instant he saw the body

man he

the driver'

said,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; meaning

*

Oh,

that's

awful like him;

the driver of the buggy.

These exclamations came quick, spontaneous, and with
an earnestness that was as convincing as they were

CHARLEY

252
impressive.

Douglas

ROSS.

Subsequently he

said,

'He/ pointing

*was the one that gave

alias Clark,

me

to

the

Again he said, He
was the one that gave me the candy, and the other
one,' pointing to Mosher, *he sometimes had candy
too.* Peter Callahan was equally positive about Douglas (alias Clark) as the driver of the buggy, and ex-

money

to

buy

the

fire

crackers.*

pressed a strong belief as to Mosher.

'

He

said,

'

I

am

from his general appearance, that he was one
of the men, but whenever I attempted to look at him
he put up to his face a handkerchief which partly hid
I suppose he did so to hide the deformity of his
it.
certain,

The identification
men who had been
seen on Washington Lane, Germantown, and who had
driven the children away, fully satisfied those who were

nose.

I

recognize the

body

fully.'

of the bodies as those of the two

acquainted with the suspicions so long entertained, that

William Mosher and Joseph Douglas were the
abductors of

my

son,

real

Charley Ross.

on Monday morning the intelligence of
the tragic death of the burglars, and the dying confession of one of them, became known in the city of New
York, and, through the Associated Press, was telegraphed throughout the length and breadth of the land.
So much had
It was the chief topic of conversation.
been said and written about the abduction during the
past five months, and so few persons knew that the men
who were killed at Bay Ridge had been for a long time
suspected of the crime, and were then even being
hunted by the police, that when it was published that
one of them had in his dying moments confessed that
he and his companion had stolen Charley Ross, an

Very

early

LAST LETTERS FROM THE ABDUCTORS.

253

was everywhere manifested. There
was added to the crime a fresh and awful element of
tragedy.
The sudden death by violence of the two
villains struck the community as a just and startling
intensified interest

act of retribution from God.

When

merited punishment overtakes deep

public sense of justice

ishment

satisfied;

guilt,

the

but when the pun-

astonishing and unexpected, and the sudden

is

which

retribution
its

is

falls

on one offense

in the

very act of

commission, and which might seem greater than

its

wickedness deserves, reveals another and darker crime,

which shows that the criminals had sinned up to the
full measure of the fearful penalty, reverent minds
cannot

to recognize in so wonderful a coincidence

fail

the directing hand of Providence; and even the most

thoughtless will be awakened to

moral Governor presiding over

some dim sense of a
affairs.
The

human

and holding his life subof money, was of so
revolting a nature that the whole community felt it to
be an offense against society; and wherever the sudden
and violent death of the kidnappers was announced, the
universal feeling seemed to be that God would not percrime of stealing a

ject to the

little

child,

payment of a

large

sum

mit such a crime to stand unpunished, or such criminals
to exist.

Certainly the event must be classed

among

the romances of crime; for here were two men, hunted

through many months, tracked hither and thither by tireless officers, yet escaping the consequences of their great
crime only to be shot dead for a

far less

heinous offense,

no way connected with the kidnapping.
The killing of two burglars at the same time is itself a
rare and extraordinary event, well worthy of comment,
even had the victims not been the long-sought kidnap-

and one

in

CHARLEY

254
pers.

ROSS,

Besides, in the contest in which they were en-

gaged, although the burglars

made every

effort

to

defend themselves by maiming or killing their opponents,

and

fired

many

shots, yet they injured not

of their assailants, not even slightly.
tion extorted

one

revela-

by approaching death from the younger

of the two burglars
in the history

Then the

is

one of the noteworthy incidents
The pages of fiction present

of crime.

nothing more remarkable than that yol-untary confession and its surroundings. The thick darkness of the
last

hours of a stormy December night enveloped the
thief, as he lay on the wet ground stricken with

dying

his death-wound.

A dim lantern, serving

only to ren-

der the surrounding darkness barely visible, revealed

one or two persons standing over the fatally-wounded
man.
His first thought was the alleviation of his

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

he begged for whisky, which was
brought; but finding himself unable to swallow it, he
then asked for water, which he drank without relief to
physical suffering

his excruciating sufferings.

Then came upon him a

sense that his worthless and miserable

life

was

fast

ebb-

ing away, and the pangs of conscience for a few brief

moments became even stronger than the torture of his
wounds, and forced him to unburden his mind of a
guilty secret:

"It's

no use lying now," said

helped to steal Charley Ross."

and

fear of the just retribution

The

which

world, unlocked his guilty tongue.

he,

"I

terror of death,
lies

beyond

this

This sudden awak-

ening of a dormant conscience in view of the near ap-

proach of death, affords strong evidence of the existence
of that moral sense which our religion teaches us to
believe will survive even the blackest career of crime.

LAST LETTERS FROM THE ABDUCTORS.

25$

Tortured by his suddenly awakened conscience, this
felt impelled to unburden his mind

hardened miscreant

by a confession which
this singular tragedy.

man

one of the striking features of
His was the bad end of a bad

is

—

the terrible ending of a hard and bitter life.
But while the universal sentiment at first was that
these vile, bad men had met their deserts, yet, on second thought, a feeling of disappointment followed, that
they had not been captured instead of being killed, and

The greater crimwho devised the plot the author of the cruel letters,
and who probably was the only one of the pair who
knew where the child was secreted died instantly,
without a word the word for which we had toiled for
months. Efforts were at once made to find a trace of
forced to reveal their guilty secret.

—

inal

—

—

the hiding-p*lace of the child.

Nothing was found on

the persons of the dead burglars that indicated

who

they were, or gave any light on the subject of the abduction.

They had with them a complete

set of

burg-

and each one had a revolving pistol and a
large knife.
The boat on which the burglars came to
Bay Ridge was thoroughly searched: there were found
on it a few copies of the New York Herald and a copy
lar's tools,

o*'

the

New York

Evenijig Telegram^ in which was a

burlesque account of the finding of
nothing, however,

was discovered

Charley Ross;

to give the least clue

upon which to work. The boat, it was subsequently
had been stolen on the night of the 27th of

ascertained,

September, at Bridgeport, Connecticut: when taken it
was a cat-rigged sail-boat, but had been altered by

Mosher into a sloop before the tragedy on Bay Ridge.
It was supposed that Mosher and Douglas had per-

CHARLEY

256

ROSS.

haps two accomplices, and the pohcy now adopted was
to discover them by hunting up all their associates.
Mosher's wife and her brother, Westervelt, were the

means through whom this information was sought.
Hours were spent by Superintendent Walling and Mr.

McKean

in questioning

them, for they were unwilling

Mrs. Mosher said that her husband had told

witnesses.

her that the child had been placed with an old

woman, and was

who

man and
know

well cared for, but she did not

his keepers were, or

where they

Superin-

lived.

tendent Walling received a letter about this time, stating

man and woman were living alone on an
Long Island Sound, whose conduct was very
suspicious, as they would not permit any one to come

that an old
island in

on the

island.

This information was thought to be so

important that, although

it

was night, an

officer

was

dispatched to watch the shore, and prevent any person

from going to the island, or from coming off to the
mainland. Early the following morning several persons, with

two or three

of shipwreck amidst the

officers, after
ice,

considerable risk

landed on the island.

It

was thoroughly examined, but they found no evidences
of there ever having been a child kept there.

The

old

people, although they had heard of the abduction, had

not heard of the killing of the abductors, and stated that

they had been

.came to
visitors.

much annoyed by roving marauders who
and that they were suspicious of
old woman was heard of in Connecticut,

steal poultry,

An

whose mysterious movements were suspicious. She
was a friend of Mosher, had loaned him money to
begin business at one time, and was said to be the very
kind of person with

whom

tlie

child

might be placed.

LAST LETTERS FROM THE ABDUCTORS.

She occasionally went

moved about

as

if

to

Brooklyn and

New York,

25/
but

she was afraid of something; and

besides she had several children living with her, one

about the age of Charley Ross, and this boy had

dis-

Here was a case which looked very much
as if it would furnish a solution to the secret.
The
old woman's home was visited; stubborn and belligerappeared.

ent,

she protested she

knew nothing about

anything,

and would not tell if she did said, " I knew that Mosher was not strictly honest, but that was nobody's
:

affair, if I

cently."
tions,

and

chose to aid him
Hours were spent
finally all

in earning his living dein

plying her with ques-

her mystery was accounted

for.

She owned some tumble-down tenement houses in
Brooklyn, and was in constant dread lest officials should
come to collect taxes, or compel her to put them in
habitable condition. The little boy which had been with
her was the child of her niece, and was dead. During
his sickness he had been attended by the Mayor of the
city, who was a physician
his photograph was shown
to the officers, and they were satisfied that she never
had our little boy. When the old woman really understood the object of the visit, she was enthusiastic in
her desire to serve the Ross family, and offered to return to New York with the officers, and do what she
;

Thus again were hours spent
on a trail which appeared to have something real in it,
but which when investigated proved valueless.
About this time a statement was made public, that
the body of a boy was found in Newark Bay on the
19th of November, and after keeping the remains four
days, and no one appearing to claim the body, they
could to find the child.

CHARLEY

258
buried

it.

old, light

The

child

was

ROSS.

said to be about four years

complexioned, light silky hair cut close, blue

received several letters, stating that he
answered the published description of my son, and that
believed he had fallen from a boat and was
it was
drowned. Although we very much doubted if he was
eyes.

I

Charley, because all agreed that the child which was
found had blue eyes, while ours has brown or hazel
eyes yet, to be certain, his body was exhumed and
;

examined.

The

physician present wrote to us that the

child could not have been

He

old.

had but few

more than about 20 months

teeth,

had blue eyes, which conjudgment that the child

clusively confirmed us in our

was not Charley.
In

the

different

interviews

McKean had

Walling and Mr.

which Superintendent
with Westervelt,

many

points of interest connected with the case were,

by

.searching questions, dragged out of him.

be

more
other
the

particularly
tilings,

This

Among

noticed at another time.

he stated that he had slept

same room with Douglas, Saturday

at

will

a hotel in

night,

Decem-

and Douglas then
told him that the child was living, and Mosher, despairing of getting the ransom by the plans proposed, was
considering a change in them, and had partly worked
out another plan for re-opening the negotiations on the

ber

1

2th, the night before the killing,

basis of a simultaneous exchange.

Circumstantial evi-

dence was thus obtained, confirming the dying

ment of Douglas,

that the child

of the death of the men.

was

state-

living at the time

This information, obtained

by Mr. McKean, so contrar>' to the popular belief on the
subject

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;although

those familiar with the whole case

LAST LETTERS FROM THE ABDUCTORS.

259

never had any reason to suppose that the child had
died or been destroyed

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;was an additional incentive to
who had

hasten the efforts to discover the person
session of the

child.

Through

Mosher's associates were heard
more.

Officer

Wood,

who

lived in Balti-

of Philadelphia, was forthwith

sent to that city to look
living- in

of,

pos-

Westervelt, two of

them

up.

They were found

miserable quarters in the midst of squalor and

wretchedness, and brought to Philadelphia, where they

were

closely

laughable.

examined.

These

fellows,

This episode

who had been

was

almost

thieves and

were great cowards, espeThey had no
Philadelphia, where they arrived before

receivers of stolen goods,

cially fearing "vigilance committees."

sooner got to

where some
drunken brawlers were fighting. Taken from this place
quite nervous, they were put into a room at the police
station, where muskets and ropes are kept.
This was
daylight, than they were taken to a tavern

too

much

for

them.

They

sure of being lynched,

felt

and one of them, getting down on his knees, begged
piteously to be let off.
Throughout their examination,
they evinced great terror; and afterwards, some victuals
being given them, they declared the food had been poisoned, complained of illness, and refused to eat. These
fellows told what they knew, which was not much, and
then were sent back to Baltimore. Evidently they
were not the kind of people to whom Mosher would
confide a secret of such vital importance as the abduc-

and his place of concealment.
Those engaged in the search had become accustomed
to disappointments and delays
but instead of being
discouraged, began again with renewed zeal after each

tion of a child

;

CHARLEY

260

ROSS.

and every disappointment. Everything in the nature
of a clue was followed up as quickly as the railroad and
telegraph would enable the searchers to do the work,
by night and by day, without any cessation. There
was a hope, after the abductors were killed, that their
accomplices would set the child free and instructions
were given to the whole police force of New York, to
;

be on the lookout for a stray child, and if such should
be found in any respects answering the description of

Charley Ross,

to send

him immediately

to

Police

Headquarters.
Considerable excitement was occasioned at the Central Office

one afternoon by the report that Charley

Ross, the long-lost child, had been found by a police-

man on

the Bowery, and had been placed in charge of

the Superintendent.

At

first

sight, before questioning

the boy, the Superintendent thought he certainly had

the right child.

He was

about

five

years of age, had

long, curly, flaxen hair, dark hazel eyes, and the features

bore a striking resemblance to the pictures of Charley.

The

by the child, who, when
name, said it was Charley. On being further
questioned he gave his father's name and residence,
suspicion was strengthened

asked

his

and was recognized by an officer as a child, who had
been brought to a station-house once before on the
supposition that he was Charley Ross. The authorities

not being able to get a real clue to the custodian

of the child, and the abductors being dead, were compelled to examine into everything which

was brought
however improbable, with the hope that
something would be found out which would reveal the
hiding-place of the child. This imposed on them an

to their notice,

:

:

LAST LETTERS FROM THE ABDUCTORS.

immense amount

26l

of labor, which was cheerfully per-

formed and, although disappointed so often, yet when;

ever anything fresh was started they readily undertook
to investigate

merable

it

failures.

with ardor and zeal in the face of innu-

This persistent search was continued

from the time of the killing of the abductors until the
20th of December without any favorable results, and
the mystery

still

remained as inexplicable as

it

had ever

been.

At

this point

Mrs. Ross's brothers, seeing that there

was scarcely a probability of finding the child by the
means which had been employed, determined to make
an effort to end the matter by offering a reward for
Charley, promising to ask no questions of the person

who should

return him, or

which would lead

tion

who should

give informa-

This advertisement

thereto.

appeared December 23d, 1874, in the papers of
my name, and is as follows

procure some of Mosher's writing, to compare it with
the letters which I had received from the abductors,

but without success, excepting the signature of WilHam
Henderson to receipts that being one of his assumed

—

Westervelt had declared that he did not know
where to get any yet when closely questioned after the
death of the men, he told Mr. McKean that on the 25th

names.

;

of June he was in Philadelphia, and Mosher had written

a

letter

addressed to a Mrs. Murdock,

who

attended the

Rondout; that he carried that letter to
New York, and mailed it there on the 26th of June, it
being dated one day in advance of the writing, so as to
correspond with the date of mailing; and he thought if
some person was sent to see Mrs. Murdock, the letter
could be obtained from her. Superindendent Walling
on the 24th of December sent an officer with Westervelt to Rondout, and they got the letter, difac simile of
which is here given. It is signed Wm. Hendricks
another of the names which Mosher assumed. Although
lighthouse at

written in Philadelphia, as Westervelt stated,

New

it is

dated

York, as follows

—

New York,

yune

26, 1874.

Mrs. Murdock. ^You must think very strange of me in not writing to
you on the 1st of May, as you desired me. The reason was that I got a
good situation on a vessel to go to South America as carpenter on her.
I don't know when I shall be able to
I got back about one week ago.

Fac- Simile of the

Rondout Lighthouse Letter.

/i^i^/-:?^^i^u.^uK^

/^

/7^

v^^^T^/^

^.'^i^^^^

i?0'.ÂŁ,^'-2^

yp^f^

Fac-Simile of the Rondout Lighthouse Letter.

:

LAST LETTERS FROM THE ABDUCTORS.

26/

but you please send me the balance of five due on
;
There was 85 cents due for repairing your row boat but you
need not mind that. Send me ^5 and it will be all square.
get up to Rondout
the boat.

Wm. Hendricks.

Respectfully, etc.,

P. S.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

I will inclose

you an envelope with

my

address.

I

am

board-

ing here at present and shall be for the future.

Both enveloj>es were also obtained the address on
Murdock was requested to
use when she would answer his letter, is that of the
house in which Westervelt lived at that time. This
letter, written in his usual handwriting, has been carefully compared by experts with the disguised letters
which I received, and they have decided that all of them
were written by the same person.
At the time of the killing of the abductors, I had not
fully recovered from my illness, and for the purpose of
restoring my health had been for several weeks in my
native place, Middletown, Pennsylvania, where my wife,
with Walter, had come to see me. At noon on the
14th of December, as they were about to return home,
he following telegram was received, addressed to my
:

the envelope which Mrs.

brother-in-law
Tell C.

K. R.

quietly that

Philadelphia, December 14, 1874.
Mosher and Douglas were killed last night,

while committing a burglary, near
they stole

New

York.

Douglas confessed that

Charley.

Our hopes were now

Joseph Ross.

raised to the highest pitch, in

the anticipation that soon our dear

ended.

We

boy would be
would shortly be

little

restored to us, and that our anxieties

had so long been subject

to alternations

of fear and hope, that our weary hearts were only too

ready to catch

at this intelligence as the first real

gleam

of light that broke through the impenetrable darkness.

CHARLEY

268

ROSS.

Joy and happiness again resumed their wonted place
on Mrs. Ross's countenance as she left me, with the
promise that as soon as our dear Charley was found,
she would telegraph the glad news and sick or well,
we would (should he return before the coming holidays) unite in spending Christmas day with all our
;

Years have passed, and there has been no solution of
the dread problem.

Providence,

who

Yet are we hopeful, believing

that

so strangely suffered the abductors to

be taken away without a sign,

will further vindicate

His

righteous government, and not permit us always to

remain
little

in

ignorance of what has become of our dear

Charley.

CHAPTER

X.

LOST CHILDREN RESTORED TO THEIR PARENTS.

lOTHING
about

in

has been more talked of and written
this

country for months past than

the abduction of

of Philadelphia

;"

Charley Ross,

a Httle

boy

so says an English paper of January,

1875.

For several months before the killing of the burglars
Bay Ridge, the public had settled down in the belief
that the child was dead but when it became known
that one of the villains had confessed that he himself
aided in the abduction, and in his dying moments
declared that the child would be restored to his home
within a few days, the case was invested anew with a
Intense excitement again
vivid and startling interest.
prevailed in this city, and every report was seized upon
by the public with avidity. And not in the cities
at

;

alone, but throughout the country, people were

make

moved

and most vigilant search. Evidence of this was afforded us in numbers of letters
which began again to pour in, describing children who
were thought to bear a resemblance to the pictures of
to

the

closest

Charley, so widely circulated.
have been brought to light in

Many

singular facts

connection with the

search in this case, and children have been found in
nearly every section of the country, whose appearance
often led to the belief that the missing

(269)

one was found.

CHARLEY

270

Some

ROSS.

cases of exceptional interest deserve

more

a passing notice, and will be given

One

more than

particularly.

boy found in Chester, Illiwas brought to that place by two

of these was that of a

The

nois.

child

villainous-looking men, one of

The

father.

citizens,

him and the

whom

claimed to be his

not believing the man's story, had

child placed in charge of the authorities

of the town, who, upon questioning the child, believed

him

to

have been stolen, and communicated by

tele-

graph with the mayor of our city. Efforts were immediately made through the telegraph to find out if he

was Charley
torily,

child.

;

but not being able to decide satisfac-

my brother, James M. Ross, was sent to see the
He found him sadly disfigured, his face shame-

marked with

was dyed, his back was
and his whole appearance indicated
that he had been most cruelly abused. Although my
brother was satisfied at first sight that he was not our
little boy, yet the citizens, fearing he might not know
him in his pitiable condition, prevailed on him to defer
fully

acid; his hair

frightfully scarred,

his decision until the next day,

when he

arrived in the place.

it

The

being

in

the night

following morning,

examining the child again, he decided that he was
When separated from the man who had
brought him to the town, the boy gave the following

after

not Charley.

romantic story of his adventures
after

:

He

said,

two men,

taking him from a yard near his father's house,

had put him in a room and locked him up until dark,
when they conveyed him to the river bank, placed him
in a boat,

they

left

and rowed him to the other shore. There
made him walk a long distance

the boat, and

through the woods.

At

times he became so weary

LOST CHILDREN RESTORED.

would

that he

ground but they whipped
keep him awake. At length they
the forest, occupied by a woman.

to the

fall

him with switches

2/1

to

reached a cabin in

;

They

did not tarry long in the hut, but started out on
on a begging expedition, the boy doing most of
the begging, being instructed what to say and how to
act.
His captors treated him brutally, and required
foot

him

to obtain a dollar a

ment.

and

day on pain of severe punish-

Some days he would

get three or four dollars,

he would get almost nothing.

at other times

natural shrewdness soon led

him

His

to deceive his tyrants;

when he obtained more than a dollar he would give
them the exact amount they had fixed as his task, and
the balance he would hide away to use when he failed
to get the required sum.

woman and boy

the

In this

way the two men and

traveled through Illinois, Indiana,

Ohio, Kentucky, Arkansas, and other States, the boy

begging money, and the men and woman living on it,
and generally getting drunk every night. At length
the woman died, and the men ceased their wanderings
and stopped

The boy

in Chester.

at this

time was about seven years old, and,

had forgotten
stolen, his
had
been
the name of the city from which he
own name, and in fact everything which related to his
although naturally bright and

former

life;

said the

intelligent,

man who

claimed to be his father

was not his father but was unable to give any clue by
which to ascertain where or to whom he belonged.
The authorities of Chester refused to return the boy to
;

man

whose charge he had been found, and an
was made to the court by one of the citizens
prevent him from being taken away, and to have a

the

in

application
to

CHARLEY

2/2

guardian appointed for him.

ROSS.

After

it

was decided that

the child was not our Charley, a gentleman wrote to
the chief of police of St. Louis, Missouri, an account of
the

boy

little

who had

in Chester,

a description of the child,

the papers of that

who was supposed by

Charley Ross, and

seen him to be

those

also gave

which letter was published in
gentleman of St. Louis, Mr.

A

city.

Henry Lachmueller, read

the account as published, and

recognized some points

in

to believe that the child

might be

the description that led
his

own

son,

him

who had

mysteriously disappeared two and a half years before.

Obtaining a
to

remove

fuller description,

all

child to find

found

at last.

he proceeded to Chester

What was

on seeing the
his hopes realized, and his long- lost son
Although the child had forgotten everydoubt.

his joy

thing relating to his family, yet as soon as he saw his
father he recognized him.

Mr. Lachmueller returned to

and procured from the Governor of the State
and a Judge in St. Louis satisfactory letters that he was
St. Louis,

a responsible person.

In

company with

his

wife he

returned to Chester, and got possession of their child,

whom

they had long given up for lost

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;the authori-

being satisfied that he had been stolen by the two
vagabonds who had brought him to the place. Mr.
Lachmueller gives the following account of the way in

ties

which the child was
Louis, engaged
in July, 1872,

work

in

stolen.

He was

residing in

St

the business of quarrying stone, and

he and his men were engaged

at their

from his residence; his children carmen's
dinners
On the 3d
the
to them every day.
ried
from
several
of
the
children
proceeded
the house
of July
at a distance

with baskets of provision for the quarrymen, and on

»

«

t

«•
•
*

Henry Lachmueller, found

» »
• •
• » *

t i

t

>

*

>

>

1

i

>

»
•
.

in Illinois.

u

0/;l

(v

I

If

V
I.

LOST CHILDREN RESTORED.

273

way back stopped at a grocery, where they were
acquainted.
One of the boys, Henry, five years old,
their

took

and playfully ran back

off his slioes,

as he did not return search

could not be found.

was made

While the

in the yard;

him, but he
were searching

for

parties

him two bad-looking men informed them that it was
them to hunt for the boy, as they had seen
him fall into the river and drown. Mr. Lachmueller,
believing the statement of the men, caused the river to
be dragged, in the hope of finding the body of his child.
While thus engaged he learned from some persons
in the vicinity that they had seen two men cross the
river in a boat, with a little boy answering the descripMr. Lachmueller, on being satisfied
tion of Henry.
that the boy was stolen, declared he would make it the
business of his life to find his child, and would do no
more work until success crowned his efforts. During
the time he was searching for his son, he heard of the
abduction of my son, and being struck with the coincidence, persevered in the search, thinking he might find
for

useless for

either

Charley

but advertised

cr his
in the

own

son.

He spared

no expense,

newspapers of the United States,

Canada, and Europe; and whenever he heard of a boy
being found he proceeded at once to the place, only to

be disappointed.

and Eastern
tries,

He

traveled through the Southern

and visited several European coun
but could hear no tidings of his son, until at last
States,

the report reached

him of the

child at Chester, Illinois,

thought to be our little boy, and
be his own lost Henry

On

who

really

proved to

the return to St. Louis of the father and mother

with their son, great was the rejoicing of the friends and

:

CHAKLKV

274

The children

neighbors.

â&#x20AC;˘

'^~-

in the vicinity of their

dwelling

were wild with joy; hundreds crowded in and around
the house, and persuaded the Httle returned hero to relate his story

over and over again, until

Thus the

heart.

interest

child,

dering over the country

in

company with vagabonds,
money that they might

forced the child to obtain

A picture

indulge in their lazy and vicious habits.
little

the

little

Mr. Lachmueller's

who

by

it

in

boy resulted in the restoring of
who had been absent two and
and had been trained to be a beggar, wan-

search for our

a half years,

knew

all

which was awakened

Henry Lachmueller,

as he appeared

rescued by the citizens uf Chester,
villains

who had

stolen him.

is

from the

Illinois,

given to

of

when he was
illustrate*

the

manner in which his abductors disfigured him.
Another instance in which a child was restored to
his proper guardian occurred in New York State.
A
letter was received by the Mayor of Philadelphia from
a person residing
bordering on

in

the

one of the counties of that State,

Hudson

river,

which, like

many

knowledge of "the whereabouts
of Charley Ross," and asked that some one who knew

others, claimed positive

the child be sent to the place.
letter the following dispatch
Letter received.

Ple;ise give

me

W.

To

this

days

Wm.
to take

receipt of this
this city:

AnStokley, Mayor.

the grounds for your belief.

swer.

eral

Upon

was sent from
S.

telegram no answer was received

after the following

S. Stokley, Mayor, Philadelphia.â&#x20AC;&#x201D;A woman
him away. What must I do ?

To which

reply was

made

Telegraph

results.

but sev-

is

her; going

:

Be guided by
Stokley, Mayor.

See a Justice of the Peace and your District Attorney
their advice.

;

telegram came to hand

W.

S.

:

LOST CHILDREN RESTORED.

2/5

In answer to this the following was received:

W.

S.

To
An

Stokley, Mayor.

this

was

officer will

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Send detective

at

once.

Answer.

replied:

leave for your city on the midnight train.

W.

S.

Stokley, Mayor.

Captain Heins then telegraphed to Superintendent

Walling

A

in

New

professes to have important information as to

the ^'hereabouts of
the

York:

gentleman in

Mayor

Charley Ross.

of this city.

Send an

Has been

officer there

in correspondence

with

by the early train to-mor-

Let him say he has been sent by Mayor Stokley.

row morning.

After the lapse of a few days the following letter was
received from Superintendent Walling
Your telegram was received. I sent an officer forthwith to
to
examine the child supposed to be Charley Ross. He was a boy about
seven years of age, and had been stolen from his father by the mother
on October 20th, 1872, and placed in care of
until July 7th, 1873,

when he was

The father hearing of the
him and taken him away. The boy, in consequence
a domestic difficulty or quarrel, had been secretly taken away from his
transferred to another person.

child has claimed

of

father by his mother,

and transferred

to different persons, in different

places, thus eluding every effort of the father to find him, until
that the child

was supposed

to be

Charley

Ross,

he heard

when he went

to the

place and forthwith recovered his son.

As an

indication of the vigilance of the people, even

in the far distant states, the following instance is re-

lated

:

During the early part of December, 1874, a strange
woman appeared in Black River Falls, Wisconsin, with
a child described as about four years old, and having

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

light hair
said to be a perfect likeness of the photograph of Charley Ross, in possession of the sheriff of

the county.

The woman kept

herself closely veiled,

and gave her name as Lewis, which was found not to be

CHAR LEV

276

She said she was going

correct.

was

ROSS.

to visit her father,

who

of typhoid fever, and, for fear the child might

ill

take the disease, desired to leave him until she re-

Her

turned.

actions were, however, sufficiently strange

arouse suspicion

to

among

the people of the town.

After leaving the child, she returned to the place where

she had

left

him, but they did not recognize her, as she

was disguised. The people then concluded the child
must be the long-lost Charley Ross. The woman was
traced to her father's hbuse about twelve miles distant,
but her parents were ignorant of the fact that she had
brought a child to Black River Falls. She was arrested,
but refused to say anything, except that the child did
not belong to her. Communications were at once begun with me about the matter, and also with the Pinker-

A picture with

ton agency in Chicago.

was requested

tion of the child

a

full

descrip-

to be sent to me.

In a

short time the following letter enclosing a photograph

came

to

hand:
Black River Falls, Wisconsin, January

I

Mr. Ross.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Dear Sir: â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Your favor of 13th

would say

that

child

;

but the

an

artist

effort

was

has been

not skilled

they failed to get a correct likeness.

made

ult.

came

detectives

The

was here to-day and has gone

child has been

to see

me

him.

One

me

removed

into

of Pinkerton's

Should he prove

by telegraph.
G.

Respectfully yours,

description sent to

to-day.

and the child was very uneasy, and

be your Charley, you will hear from

The

6th, 187s.

hand

to get a photograph of the

the country about twelve miles from this place.

to

to

W. Baillet.

represents the 'child as

having blue eyes, and the picture bore no resemblance
to our little boy.
This case has been selected from a
large

number

actions were

m

to

show

that

whenever strangers, whose

the least degree suspicious,

came

into

I

LOST CHILDREN RESTORED.

any of the

throughout the country with a small

villages

they were closely watched

child,

27/

times persons

influenced

were mistaken

in their

;

and although many

by an excited imagination

judgments, yet they evinced an

As

earnest desire to aid us in recovering Charley.

before stated, the feeling in this exciting case has not

been confined to our own country.

now

will

I

intro-

duce a very interesting correspondence which comes

from Europe.

I

Mr. Ross.

—Dear

have seen

it

—As

announced

and who has him.

is

exactly

;

he

flaxen hair,

is

me

a stranger, permit

I

have seen of him,

The

child I

if

hope

to hear

I

has half-brown eyes,

;

I

more minutely into
leaving shortly, it would be best to act promptly.
would come in person; but telegraph without delay,
Charley, for the American has as much as told me
I

and

lost,

know where

am acquainted with the
you telegraph me in return, immeAs the man intends
the matter.

and can speak several languages.

diately inquire

was

that I

saw answers the description

four to four and one-half years old

American who has him, and can,

14, ihjs-

to address you.

in the papers that your child

from the description

believe,

he

WuRZBURG, Bavaria, February
Sir:

Better
as

he

is

if

still

you

surely your

so.

from you soon,

Edward Mossner,
Machine Foreman, with C. Thaler,
P. S.
is

—

I

should like to have telegraphed as

not advisable

for if

;

Wurzburg, Bavaria.

in

of importance

it is

himself that he would shoot himself and the child,

He

compelled to give him up.
as well as his life.
slightest doubt, for

to his

house

^d

That he

is

your child

he personally informed

is

it

if

is

me that

nott<6Uspicious that

the child

he should have

but I will take pains not to lose trace of him.

;

it

was brought
if no one

But even

depart

It is

him

not susceptible of the

to

your judgment whether

it

he should ever be

America

Germany ?

but

takes good care of him, and loves

no one showed himself afterwards.

inquired for him,

;

he should learn of the same, he has expressed

fled

from

urgent that you act at once, as he intends to

would not be advisable

I rely

upon

to enter legal proceed-

ings by telegraph to keep the child.

Yours,

E. Mossner.

:

CHARLEY

2/8

The above

ROSS.

German, and, as will
be observed, the writer speaks most positively that
the child he saw was our Charley. But I had received so many letters, etc., stating the same thing, that
I determined to try by means of correspondence to test
if

me to examine into the matter. Will you plexse see Mr.
who will point out the child to you, and by comparing the

to warrant

Mossner,

enclosed photograph and investigating the matter, you

determine whether he

is

Mr. Ross's

child.

Your

able to

Respectfully yours,

oblige.

W.

To

may be

early attention will

this the following reply

S.

Stokley, Mayor,

was received

Consulate, Nuremberg, March 23, i8yS'
To His Honor, Mr. Wm. S. Stokley, Mayor of Philadelphia.
Dear Sir : Your communication of the 4th inst. and circular relative
to the abducted boy, Charley Ross, was duly received on the 21st
U.

—

S.

—

inst.
I at once called on my Vice Consul, Mr. Moritt Geiershofer,
who, by the way, is a patriotic citizen of Philadelphia, and told him I
had a chance for him to show his humanity and good feeling for old

Philadelphia

;

and

that I

wanted him to go with me to Wurzburg and
He was keenly anxious to do his mite

probe the matter to the bottom.
for Philadelphia

and her distinguished

o'clock the next morning

we were on

citizen,

our

way

Mr. Ross.
to

So

at ten

Wurzburg, where

we

—

LOST CHILDREN RESTORED.
arrived at

We

A. M.

1 1

Our

found him sick

step

first

was

to

279

hunt up the man,

E

house, out in the suburbs of the

at his

Mossner.

We

city.

found his whole family, consisting of wife, one son and three daughters,

grown, and quite excited, and a

all

Ross's letter, circular,

and
I

left

them with

can assure you

lives, if

we

were doomed

We

we

both

We

boy

in

They had received Mr.

Ross.

thoroughly examined the family,

we were on

the right track.

And

woidd be the happiest day of our
send you a telegram to the effect that we

felt that it

could be able to

had secured the

long-lost child.

But, like

all

others in this case,

we

to disappointment.

proceeded

Police.

etc., etc.

the impression that

too positive that the

little

Charley

question was none other than

They

to the

Burgomaster (Mayor) and the Commissioner of

both, at once, pronounced the

whole thing a swindle on

They said that their heads were turned
at the prospect of making a penny.
The Commissioner of Police produced the proceedings in case of Kuderman and the American child
from which it appeared that the man Kuderman arrived in Hamburg,

the part of the Mossner family.

from San Francisco, with the child, as early

man) swore

that the child

by a Bavarian servant

who

was

girl

—

illegitimate,

that

as

May, 1874.

and had been

He

(Kuder-

left at his

he had brought the child over

house
to the

Kempton, Bavaria; that they refused to
Wurzburg; and subsequently the sisters
of the mother of the child came and demanded it, and on his refusing, a
suit was brought in court, where the above facts were developed, and
the man was allowed to retain the child. Subsequently, some six months
ago, some one, thinking he might be the abductor of Charley Ross,
had him arrested with the child and examined.
He was again discharged, it being satisfactorily proven that the child could not be

gi-andparents,

receive

it; that

reside

in

he then came

to

Charley Ross, who was lost July ist, 1874.
When we were satisfied from the legal proceedings that the boy could
not be Mr. Ross's child, still we requested that the man and child be
brought before us to be examined by us separately.

This boy

is

respects resembled the description of the Ross boy.
;'

This was done.

a beautiful child of about four years of age, and in

many

But he had no

cowlick," no " dimples," and his eyes are very beautiful bright blue

—

would notice it across the room. I took him in
my lap and asked him if his name was not Charley; he replied " No;
my name is Theodore Ehrman." I asked him his father's name; he
be
replied, "Kuderman." I asked him if he was born in Philadelphia
so distinctly blue you

;

replied « in

San Francisco."

I

then told

him

I

had a

picture for him.

CHARLEY

280
and asked him

Das

He

ist

if

he could

fin sehr schones

seemed

to part with

who

tell

Madchen

ROSS.
it

(that

He

was.

is

replied in

a very handsome

German.

little

girl).

and did not

to take the greatest fancy for his little girl,

like

His mouth and ears were apparently smaller than those

it.

This boy in Wurzburg

of the photograph.

is

a very precocious and

beautiful child.

The man Kuderman seemed
ing a straightforward story,
in this case.

He

is

and

is

and

tell-

be some mystery

to

money from some source
The child is kept clean and

child.

While we were

dressed very nicely.

we wanted, we were
hidden history.

veloi>ed,

But there seemed

believed to be receiving

for the support of himself, wife

the one

shrewd but honest man,

to be a very

etc.

satisfied that the

also of the opinion that his

He

boy here is not
was some unde-

seems to be an extraordinarily

fine child,

evidently of a higher order of parentage than reported by the

man Kuderman.
Of course we were

profoundly disappointed, though

it

was a

satisfac-

an opportunity had been given us of doing our mite in

tion that

this

most extraordinary case.
In closing,

I

beg you

parents of the lost child.

our heartfelt sympathy

to give

With much

Your obedient

respect,

I

am,

to the afflicted

sir,

servant,

James M. W^ii^on, U.

On

diately wrote to him, thÂŁmking

him

Consul,

S.

receipt of this letter from Mr. Wilson,

I

imme-

for the great interest

he and his vice-consul had taken,^nd for the very satisfactory and thorough manner in which they had investigated the case of the

Wurzburg

child, at the

same time

saying that the child could not possibly be
boy, as this one has blue

eyes,

while

my

my

little

son's are of a

My letter

wrote a second time to

in reply to Mr. Wiland November 8th, 1875, he
the Mayor, a few extracts from

which

show the

decided broivn or Jiazel.

son's failed to reach him,

will

still

further

great interest he took

to fully satisfy himself and us about the child

been

He

in

W^urzburg.

says

:

who had

1

i

.

.
1

1

1'
.

^^^^^^^mfj/

(

1

%

\

,

J

» J

*

J

J

»

WuRZBKRG Child, Traced ky the' Ci'iiTiirr

"STAtEs ^oivsm.."

1

:

LOST CHILDREN RESTORED.

my

While, as mentioned in

be against the

to

of 25th. of March, the facts

letter

boy found by

little

28

me

Charley

being

Ross,

seemed
I have

not been able to divest myself of the belief that he might turn out to be
the right child after

mine

birds have flown

I

left

German

addressed a note to a

man Kuderman, and he

they

;

So

all.

living near the

friend of

promptly replied

:

"

The

on the 29th of April, leaving suddenly with-

out consulting any one, and leaving unexpired rent, which had been paid

He

in advance."

further wrote

"

:

A woman

that a few days after their departure, a

seemed much excited
said these people

people had

to find these

went

living next door told

My

left," etc., etc.

friend

Mr. Wilson contin-

Frankfort on the Main.

to

me

young American called and

ues by saying that he at once wrote to our Consul-General at Frankfort,
to find out if such people

were

in or

had been

authorities informed the Consul that they
there.

The

Police

Subsequently I addressed myself to the Mayor and Chief of

Police of Wurzburg, and requested them,
since

in Frankfort.

were not and had not been

my

suspicious

if

possible, to trace the people,

had been strengthened

that

boy was the

this

Charley Ross. In about three weeks the Mayor wrote
man, woman and child had been traced to the little village

abducted boy,

me

that the

of Bornheim, near Frankfort.

I

Webster, our Consul-General,

we went

view with the Burgomaster and
a

sister living in the

Bornheim and had an

to

To

be

inter-

The policeman had

one policeman.

his

same house.

must have a photograph of
the people in

proceeded to Frankfort, and taking Mr.

brief, I told the

Burgomaster I

that child, without exciting the suspicion of

whose possession it was. We sent for a photographer and
him to the house, ostensibly to have the picture of his

the policeman took
sister's little

the

woman

artist,

boy taken, and by a
to let the child

little

strategy they succeeded in getting

be taken.

It

while taking the other child, told the

worked

woman

like a chanxi.

The

having charge of

my

Charley, that he admired her little son, and would take his picture and
make her a present of it. She consented to his taking one for her only,
he, of course, keeping the negative.

send the copies herewith.
doubtless; and

if

If

it

is

child, etc.

gives

me

pleasure to be able to

child,

he will know

the right child beyond peradventure, let

me direct, and I will undertake
God knows I hope for the parents'
to

It

Mr. Ross's

him

it,

telegraph

to take

him

to Philadelphia, etc., etc,

sake

may

turn out to be the right

it

James M. Wilson, U.

S. Consul.

Again Mr. Wilson writes December lO, 1875, referring to his former letters to the Mayor, and says

:

282

CHARLEY

ROSS.

Not having heard a word from any
elapsed,

I

think

wrong hands;

it

possible that

gave

full particulars

my

I

will

send

little

waif.

and

source,

letters

my

therefore,

enclose photograph of

my

;

your personal address and

this to

In

time having

full

have miscarried or fallen into

my

Mayor I
However,

letter to the

last

of the present whereabouts of the child.

was duly received, I am not surprised that it has not been
I am aware it is but among many hundred hope-deferring
letters you have received
letters so full of faith on the part of the
authors and yet destined to give additional sorrow to your already overburdened heart.
if

letter

answered, for

—

While
cerned,

have almost abandoned hope, so

I

feel

I

it

to

my

be

Please inform me, by return mail,

me

the photograph, as

the interests of a

dear

sir,

1

if

common

this letter

this is not

wish to retain

it

humanity, etc,

here

far as the child

duty to send you

is

con-

and photograph.

your child, and return to

as a svuvciiir of
etc.

my

labors in

have the honor to be,

1

with deep sympathy,

Your obedient

servant.

James M. Wilson, U.

Signed,

S. Consul.

On the 23d of November I replied to the
which the Mayor received as follows

letter

Philadelphia, Narvanber 2j, 1873.

James M. Wilson, Esq., U.
Dear Sir : His Honor, Mayor

—

S. Consui.,

—

Nurrmukrg, Germany.
me to acknowledge the

Stokley, desires

receipt of your favor of the 8th inst., with enclosures of photographs.

doing

I take pleasure in

persistently followed

up

so, not that

my

is

little

the child which you have so

Charley,

taken so great interest as to retrace the Wurzburg

but because you have
child,, so as to

be fully

assured that no mistake had been made.
I replied to yours of

March

25th, saying that the

not be mine; he having blue eyes, while

The

hnzfl.
I

am

pictures just received confirm

my
me

Wurzburg

that

child could

brmvn or
Charley.

boy's are

little

he

is

not

glad, however, to have the picture, as that settles the matter

beyond

a doubt.

As

yet I

am

entirely in the dark as to

but since the publication of the letters
tors, a

I

what has become of the child

received from one of the abduc-

renewed impetus has been given the search

receipt of so

many

letters,

;

and

I

am

daily in

reporting children astray or in bad hands, that

I trust I shall yet be able to

The suspense and anxiety

come

across the right one, etc.

are terrible ; but one comfort

we have

—

that

is.

:

LOST CHILDREN RESTORED.

283

the universal sympathy of the civilized world, particularly since

we have

the true and only version of the whole matter

is

understood

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;kidnapping

of the child for a ransom.
I

judge from what you write that you expect to

and thank you
time accept

my

and

in person for your kindness

thanks.

visit

your native land

If so, I should be very glad to call

during our Centennial year.

I

am most

on you,

mean

In the

interest.

respectfully yours,

Christian K. Ross.

On

the same date as the last

Mr. Wilson writes

letter,

again
Consulate, Nuremberg, Germany, December 10, iSy^,
K. Ross. Dear Sir: After my letter of this A. M. was
mailed, your esteemed letter of the 23d ult. came to hand. I cannot
honestly say that I am pleased to learn definitely that this handsome and
U.

Mr.

S.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

C.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

not your long-lost

Charley;

hoped that he would prove to be the
become instrumental, under Providence,
But it seems that
heart-stricken parents.

right child,

bright

little

am

time I

fellow

pleased to see that you

" springs eternal
of

March

etc."

harm

human

in the

my

letter I
still

still

breast."

Wurzburg

25th, saying that the

That
in

is

having a grain of

I

little

am, dear

is

not to be.

have

You

faith

and hope, which

say, " I replied to yours

faith left that this child
all.

time longer,
sir,

I

have found pleasure

here

may

propose to keep him

etc., etc.

With

lively

yours,

James M. Wilson,
I

its

In the mean-

child could not be mine, etc.,

eventually turn out to be the right one after

sympathy,

might

In the meantime there can be no

never received.

within tracing distance for a

had fondly

that I

restoring that child to

in
it

for I

and

U. S. Consul.

in giving this case so large

a

space in this history, partly on account of the great de-

gree of interest manifested, and the prompt and cheerful service

rendered by Mr. Wilson, but more especially

because of the generous sympathy and the uniform
of kindness which breathes forth in these
truly encouraging to .find

letters.

spirit

It is

in a stranger such kind words

and acts, which tend to alleviate suffering and give grace
and dignity to our common manhood. Had the child

;

CHARLEY

284

ROSS.

been our Charley, gladly would he have crossed the

Of

o'cean with the prize.

am

this I

well convinced, for

no one could write so touchingly who would not have
claimed and enjoyed the privilege of restoring the longlost child to the arms of his affectionate parents.
The picture of the little boy who was so persistently
followed up

I

The only name by
Wurzburg child."

have had copied.

that of the "

which he is known to us is
While so many persons were truly

enlisted to aid in

discovering the child, the vultures of society, taking advantage of the excitement that prevailed, endeavored to
prey on us by concocting different schemes to extort

A few notable

money.

instances will be related, to

the heartlessness of the wretches
cite false

who undertook

show

to ex-

hopes, with the view of turning their infamous
account, by asserting that they were

lies to profitable

possessed of information as to where Charley was con-

The first case is that of a man who desired to
cealed.
procure a reward in advance for information which he
The correspondence

professed to have.

is

as follows:

[A.]
St. Louis,

reward
I

Dec. ^j, 1874.

— Mr.

know where he

is,

and

will tell you.

but was afraid to; but since Douglass

Bill

I

would have

dead

is

I

can

tell

offer

Charley
told

a

Ross.

you before,

you without

fear.

I

;

me

betrayed them, but promised to pay

if

I

if

you

will give

me $500

I will

doubt

me

or

to the place

pay

my

my

ability to

where he

is

do

now

expenses and take

so, I will

hidden,

me

well to keep quiet.

Now

promise to deliver Charley into your

hands within three days from the time

to

—Dear Sir:— You

became acquainted accidentally with Joe Douglass and
Morris or Mosier (he called himself Morris then), and found out
they had Charley Ross hidden away and they threatened to kill me

Last September

that

Ross

for information that will lead to the recovery of

if

there,

I receive the

go

money

;

or

if

you

and take you
you will send me money enough
say about one hundred dollars
to Philadelphia,

:

LOST CHILDREN RESTORED.
then after you get the boy you can pay the
life that I

my

of

can do

life,

dead.

and

it

this,

was only yesterday

Address James Cannon, care
St. Louis,

I will pledge

rest.

and would have done so before, only

you will send the money,

If

285

W.

S.

do

all that

I

you

was

my

in fear

Douglass was

that I learned that
I will

I

have promised.

Wylie, No. 1743 North Ninth

street,

Mo.

P. S. I

am

living six miles in the country,

and Mr. Wylie

is

a friend,

knows nothing about this. If you send money by registered letter
money order, send it in Mr. Wylie's name.
James Cannon.

but
or

A

reply was forwarded to this letter, saying that, as
he was a stranger, before any money could be advanced
for the information which he professed to have, we desired to have some responsible reference as to who he

was, and if he proved to be a proper person there
would be no trouble about his getting the money he
wanted. To which the following answer was received
[B.]
St. Louis, Jan. 4, iSjS-

My

friend,

— Mr.

Ross

—Dear

me

your

letter this

morning.

enough

me

Mr. Wylie, handed

sorry that you could not place confidence

Now,
That

I will

make another

cannot do.

I

I

am

one.

You want me

Sir:

in

—Yours

received.
I

to accept

to furnish

am

veiy

my offer.

you reference.

a poor man, a perfect stranger here, and un-

known

to any one except a few as poor and unknown as myself, Mr.
Wylie being the only man whom I know. If I could give you reference
So, my course is plain.
If you
I would do so willingly; but I cannot.
will not accept my former offer I cannot go to Philadelphia, for the simple reason that I have no money to take me there, and no friends from
whom I could borrow. So, if you are not willing to send me what I
asked, I will have to try and obtain some work until I can earn money
enough to take me to Philadelphia. I will wait ten days for an answer
to this then if I do not get satisfactoiy answer I shall go to work and try
and earn the money. I have in my possession written directions where
;

to find the boy.

Copies of these I will leave in charge of Mr. Wylie, so

me he

They are
him with them, for the
secret of the key is known only to Douglass, Morris and myself. I had no
hand in the stealing of the child. I became acquainted with Douglass
and learned the secret, and to save myself I helped to remove him from

if

anything should happen to

written in cipher, so I have

no

will

have the papers.

fear of trusting

CHARLEY

286

ROSS.

the place where he was then hidden to the place where he

These papers which

cealed.

me

boy in case

to find the

who

the party

it

where he was

in the place

still

ordered to produce him.

is

woman who

never heard of Charley Ross, and

who

would ever think of looking for him
is well, and seems to be contented.
you, but

I

come

no

to

con-

satisfactory agreement,

He

is

in

can neither read nor write, and

is

such a place that no one

in

you your son

in that place; I will tell
It is in

my power

to restore

have anything to do with a second party.

will not

now

became necessary to remove him. He is
in November, and will remain there vmtil

charge of him

h;\s

charge of an old deaf negro

is

have were written by Douglass to enable

I

If

him

we

to

can

you can have the papers containing
him and the key to read them by,

the explicit directions where to find

sum mentioned in my former letter. If you will
money enough to pay my way to Philadelphia, you can

not send

for the

one

and

to act for you,

I

will

do the same, keeping myself

me

some

appoint

back-

in the

ground, and will give up these papers (along with the key), >vhich will

Five hundred dol-

enable you to find your son without further trouble.
lars is

a small matter comixored with your son; but with

for your feelings as a father, this is the best
this,

and

send

me

one

I

hope you

the

sum

to receive the

in care of

W.

from you

in ten

one or the other of

will accept

named and

I

I

will

go

papers and pay for them.

days

I

will

do

can earn money enough to take

as I

me

due respect

my

oflTers, viz.,

either

to Philadelphia, or appoint

You can

Wylie, No. 1743 North Ninth

S.

all

Please think of

can do.

I

some

a<ldress as liefore,
If 1

street.

do not hear

mentioned above, go to work

till

I

But the sooner I

to Philadelphia.

I hope it will be to your interest
do no good to question Mr. Wylie, for he
knows nothing about this affair, and will not unless you reject my offer;
then I shall give him the papers for safe-keeping, telling him at the same
time what they are, without giving him the key to the cipher. Now, my

get money, the sooner you get the boy.
to accept

my

dear

you can

sir,

offer.

It

act

will

as

you deem

best

you

will learn

for that

sum you can

directed in

my

;

but

manner of dealing with me, I
no more from me. But if $500

treacheiy in your

find

last.

your son.

If

there

is

is

anything like

keep out of sight and

no object, remember

that

you send funds, please send as

Now, hoping soon

remain very truly yours,

if

shall

to receive a favorable reply, I

Ja.mes

Cannon.

was regarded as a scheme
were sent to a friend in St.
swindle,
and
both
letters
to
Louis, with a request that he would have the matter
This

letter

on

its

receipt

:

LOST CHILDREN RESTORED.

28/

by the police authorities of that city. CapO'Connor, chief of detectives, undertook to find
Cannon, and after some trouble he secured his arrest,
investigated

tain

and took possession of all documents and

The

in his desk.

report of the Captain

also the letter in cipher to

second

letter

letters

is

which Cannon

found

as follows,
refers in his

with the translation

—

Detective Office, Four Courts, Jan. i8, 187j. Major L. Harrigan, Chief of Police: Relative to letters purporting to have been written
by one James Cannon from this city to the father of the boy Charley

—

Ross, at Philadelphia, which
respectively

A

and B,

I

letters are

have the honor

hereunto annexed and marked
to report as follows

:

— On Satur-

company with Detective Tracy, I went in pursuit
of the man Camion.
After some trouble we succeeded in finding the
trail of the man Wylie.
Following him up, we located him on a small
flat boat on the bank of the river, foot of Lebaume street, where he was
living with a man named Wilson, both of whom we found to be absent
day afternoon

last, in

across the river.
trict, to

I directed special officer

watch the boat,

arrest both

Barney Willow, Fourth Dis-

men and

secure

all letters

found with

At eleven P. M. Officer Willow arrested both men, and found a
large number of letters directed to W. S. Wylie at points in Arkansas
and Missouri. In a desk belonging to Wylie, after careful search, I
them.

found the directions in cipher which are spoken of in
Calling to

my

assistance Officer Williams, of the

pert in cipher-reading,

ment, which

is

also

we

letter

Third

marked B.

District,

an ex-

obtained the secret of the mysterious docu-

annexed and marked C.

Its translation is also an-

nexed and marked D. By comparing the writing in the letters A and
B and in the cipher letter with the ordinary chirography of the man
Wylie, but little doubt can exist that Cannon and Wylie are one and the
same person that Wylie is the inventor and engineer of the whole thing,
which is nothing less than an outrageous attempt to perpetrate a swindle
;

leave the boat go to the hotel; take the right-hand road west of the
hotel

;

follow

it

north

ren road and follow
left till

you come

the straight road

one mile

till

in

do the

to a

swamp, and

best

Warren road

;

take the War-

;

turn to the

left

at the lerry,

and keep on

you pass two roads, take the third one and follow

no case are you

But
will

to the

for about twelve miles; turn neither right nor

to the ferry
till

you come

leads into the

you come

till
it

to

ruined cabin
will lake

you

;

take the path by the cabin,
lo the

house where the boy

go unless something happens

you can with the boy.

to us

;

it
it

is.

then you

B. Douglass,

P

This attempted swindle was unsuccessful, and although the scoundrel was in the power of the authorities, having obtained no money, he could not be held,
and after being kept in prison a few days, was discharged.

Another attempt of a similar kind was made; but
this fellow was actuated by a different motive. He wrote
the following letter

LOST CHILDREN RESTORED.

New

C. K. Ross, Esq.

which leads

me

your honor

to

keep

I shall
I

4, 187^'

can find your child, provided that

to believe that I

go

am

/ am a

act.

I

I

am

I trust

am

Answer immediately and
you will provide the means

not

pretty sure.

to see you, or if

am, dear

seafaring man.

a secret until you see me.

this letter

giving you a vain hope, I

me know if
me to act.

York, March

—Dear Sir: — Something has come under my notice

given the means and authority to
to

289

Yours

sir,

let

for

truly,

A.

JOMES, N. Y.

S.

(Please consider this letter confidential.)

The same day Jones's
one from Bergen's Point,

letter

reached me,

New Jersey,

received

I

requesting

me

to

meet the writer in New York. I telegraphed to Henderson to meet me at a hotel in New York the same
evening, and to the person at Bergen's* Point the next

morning
train

at the

same

place.

being delayed, he

In the morning

left

Henderson

arranged with a detective

I

New York, and Captain Wood
been sent to look
to

go with

me

called,

the hotel before

The

who had

New

York,

detectives remained

went into the
was a gaudily furnished drinking- house.
in the neighbcTrhood, while I

after I entered the

but the
arrived.

officer of

of Philadelphia,

after a child reported in

to find Jones.

I

room Jones came

in

place,

which

Very soon

—a man

about

twenty-eight to thirty years of age, neatly dressed, quiet
in his

At

manner, with no appearance of intemperate habits.

first

he impressed

ducing myself,

me

we went

rather favorably; after intro-

to the

back part of the saloon

and showing him the letter which l^had written, I told
him I was ready to hear what information he had relative to my little boy.
Finding that he hesitated about

him he need fear nothing, I was alone,
and he should be protected from injury; he should not
be molested by officers, and should receive the reward

telling, I said to

13

CHARLEY

290
of

five

would

thousand dollars

ROSS.

he gave information which

if

lead to the discovery of the child.

After consid-

erable parleying, he stated that he was a seafaring man,

and had just arrived

in

Monday

New York from Cienfuegos. On
on the

ferry

from

Brooklyn, he chanced to be standing near two

men
men

the previous

who were

pretty drunk, and overheard one of the

say to the other,
job

we ought

;

night, while

*'

How about

the Ross child?

to give the kid up."

It's

a bad

They spoke of Nova

This
Scotia, and of the child being near Summerville.
was the substance of what, by close questioning, I obtained from him, and he declared it was all he had
heard. He said he had never been to Nova Scotia, and
did not know whether there was a town named Summerville in the province.
I asked if he knew the men,
or either of them he said he knew one of them, and
he was a very bad fellow. I asked if he could see him
;

again.

"Yes," he

said, "if

he looked for him."

I

told

was so little in what he had told me I
form
could not
an opinion, and arranged with him to
see the man with whom he said he was acquainted,
and had heard talk on the ferry boat, and appointed
another meeting with him in the afternoon.

him

that there

At

the appointed hour, in

officer, I

company with

ing for me.

In reply to

my

question, whether he

seen his man, he said: "Yes, but this
talk

:

with
said,

a different

again went to the saloon, and found Jones wait-

we will go elsewhere

;

is

had

not the place to

wait a few minutes."

I

stood

my back to the front door, and, after a pause, he
" Now I am ready/'
As I turned I saw a person

couching down
partly

in the

drawn over

corner of the room with his hat

his eyes,

appearing as though he did

1

LOST CHILDREN RESTORED.

We

not wish to be recognized.

29

passed him, and as

we

were walking on the street Jones said, " Did you notice
that man behind the door of the saloon as we passed
out?" I said, "I saw some one who appeared to me to
be trying to conceal himself." He replied, " That is
the
to

man who gave me
go with

me

to

my

I asked him
and there we could talk
with; but he declined, and

the information."
hotel,

without being interfered
proposed going to a beer-garden

where he could

in the

neighborhood,

talk without being overheard.

Arriving at the garden

we took

seats at a small table;

came in very soon after us, and seated themon the other side of the garden. My suspicions
were now aroused that something was wrong; and, in
order to draw my companion out, I reiterated my former
promises, provided he told the truth, and his information
should result in recovering my child.
He said he
would not accept more than one thousand dollars under
any circumstances, and did not want anything until I
had possession of my son. " Let me know now what
you have learned since this morning," I said to him.

the officers
selves

He began by saying

that "years

ago he had committed

a very bad act in company with the

my

man who gave him

and was obliged
go to sea to escape punishment when in port he was
in the power of this man, who was the only person who
knew of his guilt; also if he knew that he was now communicating with me he would certainly kill him." I
told him it was not necessary he should be known;
what I wanted was to get my child, and after he gave

this information relative to

to

child,
:

me the information which would secure him, he could
go where he pleased with the money. After a long

CHARLEY

292

ROSS.

and earnest conversation all I elicited from him was,
that about five months ago the child was taken to Prince
Edward's Island, British Provinces, and put out to
board, and he could go to the place, or within a half
mile of the house, and would go with me, and after I
had the child I should give him one thousand dollars,
and try to get him some other employment than following the sea, away from New York, as he wanted to break
with his associates in that city, who, whenever he came
into port, found
*'

Now

Jones,"

you say

is

him and
said, " I

I

him deeper into crime.
have no assurance that what
led

the truth, and don't feel warranted in under-

taking such a journey on your mere word.
Were
you ever on Prince Edward's Island?" "Once a vessel
on which I was stopped at Cape Carmiento for water,
but I never went on the island," he said. " How could
you go so near to the house in which the child is said
" The description I have is so plain I could
go there," he replied.
I told him I doubted his whole story, and until he
gave me better evidence of its truthfulness I could not
tell what I should do.
He said, " I will not talk any

to be ?"
easily

more with you." "Why, you came here to tell me all
you knew, and now you hold back; you are trifling with
me, and I will not let you escape, and must know what
your purposes are." He emphatically declined saying
anything more at that time, and appointed another
meeting at

when he
his

my

hotel at eight o'clock the

said he

would

tell

plan of investigating

night,

He said he
which we had met, and

the matter.

boarded opposite the saloon

in

had a wife

He

living in Boston.

same

everything, and also state

said, "

My family have

LOST CHILDREN RESTORED.

293

account of my bad conduct, and I
Mr. Ross, I'll see you to-night, but
will not talk with you any more at this time."
discarded

all

want

me on

to reform.

Finding the fellow was stubborn,

I let

him

go, believ-

ing if he really had any information he would come to
the hotel, and if he had a scheme he would also come,
As he
as he had not yet accomplished his designs.
left me I told him I should have a friend with me in my
room, who would hear what was said, but would not

any way to harm or disturb him. He conand went off, the officers following him, and
finding that he went to a sailor boarding-house opposite
the saloon, as he had said.
interfere in

sentecj,

About

half past eight o'clock Jones

came

to the hotel,

my

to
room. I sent
and with Officer Wood
for a Gazetteer, and locked the door, putting the key in
my pocket, determined to find out if possible what this
fellow was after. In the presence of Mr. Wood I reiter-

we went up

ated the promises

I

had made

to

him during the

day,

and stated what Jones had told me, and that his coming
to-night was for the purpose of letting me know everything he had learned in relation to the child and his

whereabouts.

Wood

assured him protection, and by

entreaty and appeals, in fact in every way, tried to in-

duce him to make a clean breast of all he professed to
know. After parleying for an hour, he said, " Let me
write a telegram to

she

knew whether

my

wife."

In this he asked her

certain persons

were

still

living

if

m

Handing it to me,
he asked to have it sent to Boston. Turning to the
Gazetteer, I found that Alberton is one of the chief towns
of the island. " Then your wife knows people on the

Alberton, Prince Edward's Island.

CHARLEY

294
"

island ?" I said.
"

And

yet,

you

ROSS.

She is from the island," he replied.
you never were there except to

say,

touch at the said cape."

you write one

"

No

—stop—don't send

that

Address
George Robinson, Alberton, Prince Edward's Island.
Ask him if George Howard or George Wells lives there
now." Mr. Wood asked him what connection that had
dispatch:

that

I will dictate.

with the case, and, after considerable delay, he replied:

"If they

live there, I will

right, as the child

them, but was not
to

be better

satisfied that I

had been put to board with both of
" You seem

now with either of them."

know people there,"

I said.

wife's relatives live there,

" Yes, these people

and through them

acquainted with these persons."

I

the message, and asked him to

tell

together to hear
replied that he

am

—my

became

promised to send
us what

—the whole history of the

would not

I

until I received

we came

child.

He

an answer to

the telegram.
It

was now near midnight, Saturday, and we had not

yet found out what the fellow was after; he had not
asked for any money, and would not say anything more

but promised to see me again on Monday
morning, and in the meantime would again find his

that night

;

Baffled and
informant, and get further information.
provoked by the fellow's apparent secretiveness, we concluded to let him go, knowing that he could easily be
reached should he attempt to get away. We were now
inclined to believed he had a plan by which to get to
Prince Edward's Island, but there seemed something
else which he barely hinted at, which we were not able
to find out. Although I had but little faith in the fel-

low's story, yet not wishing to let anything pass without

LOST CHILDREN RESTORED.

a thorough investigation

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;and more

because in one of the abductors'

particularly this,

letters

they had been to the British Provinces
telegram to the
Alberton,

I

office

;

it

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

stated

took the

wrote to Mr. Robinson, asking him

Jones, and the other persons

patch,

etc., etc.,

and asked

for

named

if

in

he

in the dis-

an answer from the nearest

office.

On Monday

morning, by arrangement, Superintend-

ent Walling came

to the hotel,

and

at ten o'clock, the

appointed hour, Jones made his appearance.
troducing Mr. Walling as a friend,
previous conversation, and said

hear from

was
I

but there being no station

knew

telegraph

295

He

liinL

asked

if

I

After

in-

again stated our

we were now ready

to

there had been a reply to

how it was not possible to
now I will tell you all I know,"
he said. He was an Irishman by birth, and when he
came to the United States he joined the 7th New Hamphis telegram.

get an answer.

explained

I

"

Well,

and there became acquainted with Jim
Boyd, who taught him something about seamanship:
when the call was made for sailors, he with Boyd, a
shire regiment,

man named John F. Pool, and several others of the
same regiment, were transferred to the navy. After
their discharge from the navy Boyd and Pool enticed
him to commit crimes, and to avoid arrest he went to
sea; whenever he returned Pool found him out, and
induced him to join in other crimes, threatening him
with exposure if he declined. He thus had him in his
power. This Pool, he said, was one of the men who
talked on the ferry boat about Charley Ross, and proposed to him to go to Prince Edward's Island, and
transfer the child to Canada.
Pool said the child was

CHARLEY

296

Goodman's

ROSS.

from Sunnyside, in
and now he was ready to
go with me, or any one else, and get him afterwards
he would expect to get one thousand dollars. He said
that was all he had to say.
Superintendent Walling up to this time said nothing.
Now, rising from the sofa on which he was seated,
and looking Jones full in the face, he said,
Do you
at

care of a

hotel, twelve miles

man named

Sinclair,

;

**

know me, Mr. Jones?" he

me

"I

"No."

before?"

replied "No."
"Never saw
want you to go with me." The

Superintendent took him to police headquarters, and
*'

said to him,
telling

is false,

Do

office.

Now,

not

and expense;

whether

it is

declared

it

Jones,

say so, and

if

I

if

you have been
you walk out of this
any further trouble

this story

will let

put Mr. Ross to

you have been

lying, I shall find out

true or false before the day

was the

truth.

He was

is

over."

He

put in charge of an

and a telegram sent to one of the district station
who was well known, brought to
the Central office.
In the meantime a telegraphic dispatch was sent to a magistrate of Prince Edward's Island
to investigate the matter and report
officer,

houses to have Pool,

Pool, an uneducated but very shrewd Irishman, was
brought to the office in the evening, and underwent
a searching examination. Said he was a runner for
United States Navy, enlisting men; had been convicted

of burglary in Trenton,

New

Jersey, served part of his

was an honest man, except he would
drink, and by night he was generally pretty well set up.
Said he had heard people talk about Charley Ross,
but could not read, and like enough he had talked about
the boy himself in the taverns; never knew of a reward
time

;

since then

LOST CHILDREN RESTORED.

29/

never

knew Mosher
New Hamp-

having been offered

for the child

army

or Douglas; was in the

;

in the 7th

had been transferred to the navy with
three or four other men, Boyd, an Italian, and a man
called Jones; this last fellow was college-bred, smart.
"Now, Pool," the Superintendent said, "tell all you
know about Charley Ross." " Oh, indeed, Superintendent, I don't know anything, only what I hear others
"Were you ever on Prince Edward's Island?"
say."
shire regiment;

"No one."
do you know there?"
some one on the ferry boat on
"Very
last Monday night about Charley Ross?"
night,
and
I don't
I was pretty drunk that
likely I did
know what I said. Oh, Superintendent," he said,
"No."

"Whom

" Didn't

you

talk with

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

scratching his head, "

That

rascal, Jones,

begin to see into this thing.

I

wants to give

dered what he came after

me

me

me

wonand asked
came there he

trouble; I

yesterday

for,

and when I
pay for the drinks; and, besides, I gave him a great beating about five months ago,
and now, for revenge, he has me brought here on the
Charley Ross affair. I'll find him to-night, and give
him the soundest drubbing he ever had."
After thoroughly examining Pool, we were satisfied he

come

to

to a saloon,

didn't even treat; I

knew

had

nothing, and let

to

him

go.

He

went away mutter-

ing vengeance against the college-bred scoundrel, who,

had him arrested in broad daylight, when all
him walking with an officer. The
Superintendent then said, " Mr. Ross, I wish you had

as he said,

his friends could see

given Jones

five

or ten dollars,

I

could then put him

below but we have no charge on which to hold him,
and will have to let him go also."" This fellow wanted
;

13*

:

CHARLEY

298

ROSS.

to satisfy his revenge on Pool for having received a

beating from him, by getting Pool locked up; and also

wanted to get to Prince Edward's Island, and then
give

me

the

slip.

did not hear

I

if

Pool found him,

but think Jones would keep very clear of him.

about a week

I

received a

letter

In

from the magistrate

on Prince Edward's Island, saying he could not find
Sinclair, and that there was nothing in the report.
This swindler kept me in New York three days, and
put me to trouble and expense, without any gain to
himself

While on

my

New York I went
whom was reported

this visit to

to see three

one of

as likely to

children, each

There was only one of them who
bore any resemblance to Charley, and he evidently
belonged to the person who had him in charge. One
of the others appeared to be an American child, in an
Italian family; and the third was a child whose parents
had died, and a poor, warm-hearted Irish woman had
be

get a description of the child; but in consequence of
the sloop lying in the inlet ice-bound, she could not be

reached from that side of the bay, and
detective

McKibbin went

to

examine

my

brother and

into the matter.

LOST CHILDREN RESTORED.

299

Their drive of twenty-four miles through the
ice

during the night, was

far

from pleasant.

sleet

and

On

the

following day, arriving at the United States signal

Sergeant in

station, the

command

company them on board the

vessel.

and three children

his wife

years old, a beautiful child

man had

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; one

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;but not

ventured in his small

his family, to

volunteered to ac-

They found a man,
boy about three
my Charley. The

a

craft in mid-winter,

make a voyage from New

with

Bedford, Mas-

and was very nearly wrecked,
While on this
trip my brother learned that there was a scattered population who lived among the highlands and pines of
Monmouth county, New Jersey, and along the shores
of Raritan Bay, and on the rivers and creeks which flow
sachusetts, to Florida,

and had put

into

it,

into the inlet for repairs.

down

to near

New

Brunswick,

many

of whom

were unable to read, and few taking a newspaper. In
some of these isolated places persons had little communication with their neighbors, and there were spots in

which a child might be kept without a likelihood of
detection.

This information, together with the

fact that

were posted in New Brunsmake
a thorough search through
us
to
wick, determined
these localities, in the hope of getting information which

two of the abductors'

letters

might prove of value. Detective McKibbin and myself went to Red Bank, on the Shrewsbury river, near
the lower extremity of the highlands, and were there
joined by a former resident of Monmouth county, who
volunteered to accompany us. At Red Bank we called
on the person whose store Mosher and Douglas robbed
about four years ago, and for which Mosher was arrested and lodged in jail in Freehold,

New

Jersey.

It

CHARLEY

300

ROSS.

was immediately after his escape from this prison that
he came to Philadelphia to live.
From this person we learned that two small vessels
had been lying

days on the river, very close
however an unusual thing. During
the last night they were on the river the store was entered through the cellar, and a large amount of dry
goods carried off. The proprietor on looking about in
the morning discovered that both vessels had gone
away. He chartered a steam-tug and followed in the
direction of Staten Island and Long Island, overtook
one of the boats, and on searching her discovered that
the goods were not on board but the delay occasioned
by overhauling the wrong vessel, gave sufficient time
for the guilty parties to escape.
The men, Mosher and
Douglas, were strangers in the village; ho one seemed
for several

to the shore, not

;

know them

and Mosher returned to Red Bank the
following morning, and remained several days, no person supposing him to be the burglar. In the case of
my child's abduction, he returned to his home on the
evening of the 3d of July thus repeating the same
plan adopted in the robbery. After a few weeks the
vessel was found, and finally the owner of the vessel,
to

;

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

which led to Mosher's arrest and confinement in Freehold jail. Having learned these points, our next object
was to find out if any of his associates, or any other
suspicious persons, lived

in the

neighborhood.

We

were informed of two thieves who were believed to be
acquainted with him, both of whom had been convicted
of burglary^ and were now at large. We next engaged
as a guide a person thoroughly acquainted with the

Highlands.

During the night the weather became

in-

LOST CHILDREN RESTORED.
tensely cold, the thermometer

fell

to 6째

3OI

.

below

zero,

and

the wind blew a perfect hurricane from the north-west.

A

carriage

was

in

waiting for us early in the morning;

we went about six miles to a dense thicket of pines,
where we were told there lived a woman with a small
child, who had been brought to her to board a few
months before. The child was not Charley, and the

woman

was paid regularly by some

said his boarding

Returning to Red Bank, we
learned that the property known as the Highlands of
one she did not know.

New

Jersey

is

owned by

three gentlemen,

who

are

very careful not to allow persons to build houses in the
gorges or valleys, and the inhabitants live mainly on
the coast.

ing clams.

They obtain a livelihood chiefly by catchThe houses are generally in clusters, and

the weather being so extremely cold, the people were
all in

doors, giving us the advantage of seeing

children at

home and making

all

all

the

the inquiries

we

desired.

This search occupied two days, without resulting
anything of moment; but
sons

who had

we met

in

with numbers of per-

never heard of the abduction of Charlev

Ross.

We

then drove to Keyport, following the courses of

the rivers and inlets;

houses, stores,

etc.,

making

inquiries at the different

to find out

if

any strange child had
We were again

been brought into the neighborhood.

two suspicious persons before referred to,
was said that one of them had at his house a
child which was not his own.
On arriving at the village where they resided, we procured the assistance of
an officer and went through both houses. In one there

told of the

and

it

CHARLEY

302

was a

girl

little

about

Keyport and the next
population,

five

We

long to the family.

who lived

ROSS.

years old,

who

did not be-

here learned that between

village there
in small

was a large foreign

houses scattered through

the woods and along unfrequented roads.

Securing

the services of a guide thoroughly familiar with every

we

morning to walk,
since the pilot insisted we should have to go off the
road so often that we would not be able to make any
time with a horse and wagon.
During the preceding afternoon it had rained very
heavily, and in the night the wind changed to the
north-west, the weather again becoming intensely cold,
acre of the ground,

started in the

We

freezing a sheet of ice all over the roads.

made

our way as best we could, slipping and sliding along
the road through the woods, among briars and brambles, first

going

on one side of the path, then on the other,

into almost every house, talking with the people

and looking

at their children.

We

found very few

Charley
when they
understood what we were seeking; and in some in-

persons

Ross.

who had

not heard of the taking of

Generally the people were very kind

stances seemed very anxious to give us

all

the informa-

tion they possibly could, and expressed true sympathy

with the hope that

we would succeed

in finding the

child.

At one house, in a very secluded place, the mother
seemed to be afraid that we would take her children
away; and as long as we remained near the house, she
would not permit the children to approach us or allow
us to look at them, although

hoped

for

was

tliat

we

miiTlit

we

assured her

all

we

hear of a strange child

LOST CHILDREN RESTORED.

3O3

But

having been brought into that country to board.

much alarmed to talk with us at all. At
house we spoke of her strange conduct, and

she was too
the next

the people told us she was

all right,

ren but her own, but was
o'clock

we reached

and had no

child-

About one

very timid.

the next village, pretty tired after a

walk of about twelve miles over the ice, failing to getj
any trace of Charley. We learned that Mosher and
Douglas had, during the fall of 1874, been in one of the
creeks that flow into the bay. The person who gave
us the information

knew both

the men, and talked with

them, and had them watched nearly

all

night, supposing

they had come to the creek to steal his oysters.

From Little Washington, the village to which we
had walked, we drove to New Brunswick. On calling
upon the Chief of Police of that city, he proffered to
aid us in the further prosecution of the search, and
arranged with a former U. S. Marshal to go with us the
following day to search along South Creek on both
sides, and through the forests, wherever there were any
dwelling-houses. The next day the country towards
South and Perth Amboy was examined.
Thus this
extended search was made, we having been absent eight
days without finding anything to shed light on the
subject; and the only trace we discovered of the abductors was that they had been in a small vessel in one
of the creeks of the Raritan bay.

Our experience has taught us

that

it

is

the easiest

possible thing to be mistaken in identity, and

almost ready to conclude that there

is

very

we

little

pect of any stranger being able to recognize our

boy by looking

at a picture.

are

proslittle

In nearly every instance

:

CHARLEY

304

ROSS.

where persons have reported a child which they supposed was mine, it is stated that the pictures they have
seen are exactly like the child they write about; and in

many

cases

has been

it

convince persons

difficult to

One

that they were in error.

of the most remarkable

instances of mistaken identity, not only in a child, but

man,

also in that of a

as follows:

is

Brush's Mills,

New York,

To THE Parents of Little Charley
was a very strange appearing man came
boy with him about

He

tinker.
tell

his

think

it

He
curl

if

Monday, and went

Thinking
I write.

I

eyes, flaxen hair

into several houses

He

said he

The

would not
;

should

stayed in our village until

each place the

man

told a

with him.

it

I

cannot

this child is yours,

and

think he could be found in Northern

Signed,

this

little

to

you

rest.

is

the reason

If

your child

me know.

you have any idea that
I

child

cut very short

would be of some use

have thought so much about

immediately,

he had a

;

called himself a clock

had come very near being arrested; persons

this information

let

at

;

Saturday there

was going west, and spoke of Charley

Charley Ross

has been restored,

To

They

allowed to grow.

several times; said he

thought he had

If

had hazel

^

into our village

The man

six years old.

April 22 187J.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Last

did not seem to be the boy's father.

name.
would

different story.

Ross

Ross.

letter

will begin a search

New
,

I

York,

etc., etc.

Brush Mills.

immediately replied, enclosing a

Charley, and also his photograph,
and asked the writer to describe more particularly both
the child and the man if possible, to say where they
came from, and in fact to write everything she knew or
could find out about them
also, if she could get a
picture of the child and send it to me at the earliest
moment.
May 8th I received a letter from the same person,
circular describing

;

;

saying
Three weeks have elapsed since
him as well as I can.
He had

I

saw the child; but

will descril)e

flaxen hair, high forehead,

brown

LOST CHILDREN RESTORED.
eyes

man

when spoken

;

would place one

to

little

3O5

arm over

his eyes.

As soon

persons went to see the child.

Charley

man would

Ross, the

as they

The

A number of

stayed on a back street in the village over Sunday.

began to talk about

take the boy and go out of the house

he would get mad. I asked the
he did not know. Asked him who his
papa was he shook his head and said, " Don't know." The child is
kept in such fear that he dare not tell. On Monday two men went to
the woman at whose house he stayed said he had gone
arrest the man

and

any person looked

if

little

fellow his

at the child,

name ; he

said

;

;

Inquiry was

away.

If the

man had

would not have

made

left as

The man who

son.

;

him go away.

but no one had seen

not mistrusted that he would have been arrested, he

There

he did.

has the child

is

is

no doubt but the boy

is

your

a vicious, ugly-looking man, has

every mark of a villain, has been

wounded through

on

he had been cut with a knife.

He said

New York

City last

his face

and

wrists,

looked as

if

he had travelled since February

last,

and was

in

his shoulder, scars

winter, etc., etc.

How
far

he

far

is

from here now

hard to

it is

tell

;

but

away, as the weather has been very cold since he

he gets where nothing

would

stay a

money

that

still

week

is

is

said of

or more.

may

Charley Ross, and can
Now, if you would take

offered as a reward,

you could

not have got

left this

place.

If

get liquor, he

a part of the

find him.

I think

he

is

in this county.

Now

I

am

certain that the child

is

little

Charley

speed the train that will bring some one to find him.

me much since
Had I not been

I

saw the

Ross.
It

May God

has troubled

child travelling with that brute of a

man.

certain about this being your child, I should never have

written to you.

Signed,

To

,

this letter I replied,

of a person for

whom

being able to find him

which

I

I

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;and

I

received information

inquiring for had gone to

asked her to examine the pic-

enclosed to her, and

who had

show

it

seen the clock-tinker, and

to telegraph

made without

having, the same day on

letter,

man we had been

Vermont or Canada,
ture

and enclosed a photograph

search had been

received the above

that the

Brush's Mills.

me and I would

leave

to other persons

if it

by

resembled him

the next train for

;

CHARLEY

306

ROSS.

Three days afterwards

Brush's Mills.

I

received the

following telegram, dated

The photograph

is

the same as the

Brush's Mills, May 14, 1875.
man who was here with the child.

This seemed almost conclusive that at

last

the right

had been discovered, and, without delay, the same
night. Lieutenant Beale was detailed to accompany me
to look the parties up.
We took the midnight train
for New York, and at eight o'clock, A. M., next day,
left via Hudson railroad for St. Albans, Vermont, arriving there at six o'clock, A. M., the following morning
(Sunday). We were compelled to remain in St. Albans
until Monday morning, no trains being run on Sunday.
St. Albans is one of the prettiest towns I have ever seen
beautifully located, regularly laid out, and well built.
There are many very handsome stores in the town, and
trace

beautiful residences in the vicinity.

Monday,

left St.

Albans for Brush's Mills, ninety-four miles distant, and
about four miles from the Canada line. We arrived
there about noon, and were received at the station by
the husband of the lady who had been corresponding
with me. We went directly to his house, being anxious
to find the clock-tinker and the child as soon as
possible.

The lady spoke very

confidently that the child was
Charley, and that the picture I had sent her was
surely that of the man.
I asked her what led her in
the first place to think the child was mine; she said,
" I had heard of your loss." " Had you seen a likeness,
or had you seen a description of my little boy, before
receiving the one I sent to you ?" I asked. " I had not,
but one of the neighbors had." On getting it, I found

my

LOST CHILDREN RESTORED.
it

to

be one of Pinkerton's

circulars, with

307
a lithograph

likeness and a full description of our child.

now began

to waver.

"The man

My faith

treated the child

cruelly and threatened to kill him, and acted as though
he did not belong to him," she said. After a little
further conversation I asked her, " Where did the man
go when he left your house?" She replied, "To the
next neighbor's." I said, "We will go there, and get
These people were
their impressions of the matter."
more enthusiastic than the others had been all agreed
that the child was afraid to talk, and could be no other
than my Charley. I now proposed to see the people
with whom they had stayed over Sunday. Before we
arrived at the house, it became known in the village
what we had come for; and very soon we were joined
by a goodly company of men, women and children.
The house at which the man and child had stayed was
occupied by an old lady and her grown-up son. I asked
them to tell me what they knew of these strangers.
The old lady said they came to her house on Saturday afternoon, and the man wanted to mend her clock,
which he proposed to do if she would keep him and
his child over Sunday.
She said she pitied the child,
and wanted her clock repaired, and allowed them to
stay.
She had talked with the little boy while the man
was out, and said to nie, " Mr. Ross, he cannot be your
child why, he must be eight years old, and has short
stiff hair."
The man had told her that the child's
mother had died when he was a few months old, and
he had the mother's picture with him.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

:

Our doubts were now
that there

increased, but having heard

had been two boxes

at the express office,

CHARLEY

308

ROSS.

marked N. B. Leatham, Brush's Mills, which had not
been called for, we suspected possibly tliey were his,
and on asking the old lady about them, she replied,
**
He spoke about the boxes, and had ordered them to be
sent back to Chateaugay, about twenty-four miles from
Brush's Mills, nearer to
that the easiest

way

St.

Albans."

to find the parties

We
was

concluded
to look

up

the boxes, though the citizens endeavored to persuade

man and child: we reWhile waiting for the train quite
a large company of men, women and children had gathered at the station, and talked quietly among themselves.
us to scour the country for the

turned to Chateaugay.

men

We

Some

of the

was a

child stolen; think the story

newspapers
train

it

;

said, "

don't believe there ever

was got up

to sell

for that."
As the
turned to them, and said, " Gende-

makes a good story

approached

I

men, you surely don't suppose that I would have come
away up here from Philadelphia merely to get up a sensation for the newspapers. I assure you, if you are disposed to look up the man and child that has been

around here, and the child proves to be mine, you shall
have five thousand dollars reward for your trouble. If
we don't succeed in tracing the parties somewhere, we
will return and scour the whole country until we find
them."
Arriving at Chateaugay

we found

the boxes in the

express office; and on asking the hotel proprietor,

if

he had seen the clock-tinker and his boy, he replied,
they had been about the village, and stayed over night
his name was Leatham, and the clockat his house
;

him to write the child's name on the
as Charley Ross, saying the children in the

tinker had told
register

LOST CHILDREN RESTORED.

3O9

him by that name, and he should
Mr. Ross," the inn-keeper added, "he
While we
is not your son; he is fully eight years old."
were talking over the matter, a gentleman, who overvillage kept calling

do so

also; "but,

heard our conversation,

Malone
and trying
in

;

said, "

That fellow

he was put in for ten days,

to break

pire this afternoon.

for

in prison

is

being drunk

open a door, and his time

The

child

is

at the

house, about seven miles from here."

drove us to see the boy

;

will ex-

constable's

The

landlord

and as we approached the

house we observed three or four children playing

in the

front yard. The largest of them was pointed out as the
reputed Charley Ross. I replied, with some feeling
of chagrin and disappointment, " Why, I cannot see what
people mean; they suffer themselves to be deceived by
becoming excited, and do not permit their judgment to
The child was certainly eight years old, of a dark
act."
complexion, sharp features, rough and coarse hair, and
the whole appearance of his face totally different from
any picture I ever saw of Charley. In talking with
him, he said his name was Harry Leatham he came
;

from Canada.

We

left

the child, feeling that with the exercise of a

judgment we should have been spared great labor
and disappointment. As we returned we met the child's
father on the road, for he evidently was his father,
the resemblance being striking. He was stopped and
asked his name; at first he gave a false name, but
afterwards said his true name was Napoleon Bonaparte
Leatham. Lieutenant Beale asked him to take off his
hat.
There was but little resemblance in him to the
picture I had sent to the lady, but which she had telelittle

CHARLEY

310

ROSS.

me was an exact likeness of him. When
why he had his child registered Charley Ross,

graphed to
asked

he said he did it when he was drunk, and the children
on the street had called him by that name. The fellow
was much alarmed, turned pale, and trembled so that
he was obliged to hold on to the wheel of the wagon to
steady himself. Wc left him with an injunction that in
his wanderings he should never use the

boy.

The

conclusion

we

name of my little

arrived at was, that about ten

days before the fellow had got to Brush's Mills, he had
registered the child as Charley Ross, and when he arrived there the people believed, he certainly was my

and would not permit themselves to change their
belief.
Even after I arrived home, one or two letters
child,

were sent to the Mayor, saying that

know my own

child.

I

know

I

did not certainly

the liability of strangess

being deceived in attempting to identify a full-grown

person from a picture or a description, and the difficulty
is far

greater in that of a child; and

I

have learned by

experience not to rely on any statement of identity,

however positively it may be made, but as quietly and
as promptly as possible to get definite information to
place the matter beyond doubt.

CHAPTER

XI.

INTERESTING CASES OF TRACED CHILDREN

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; INTERVIEW

WITH A SHOWMAN.
S long

was believed that the abductors
and likely to prove enemies to
society, no reward was offered for the restoration of my child, which was not conditioned upon the
arrest of the kidnappers.
It was felt necessary for the
safety of the homes in which little children are, that the
villains, who had introduced into the country the atrowere

as

it

living,

cious crime of child stealing, should be punished, so
that the deed
ribly

would not be repeated. They were tersuddenly and violently their lives were

punished

forfeited

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

while in the act of committing a less heinous

The villains were therefore off the record, and
we believing that it was then right and proper, a reward,
offense.

as stated in a previous chapter,

was

offered for the res-

toration of the child.

The time

specified in the offer of that

on the 2d of January, without resulting
practical benefit.

reward expired
in

anything of

A number of anonymous letters were

received from persons professing to have possession of

Charley, or claiming to know where he was secreted;
answers to which were made through the newspapers,
but no response was in any case ever received.
With the death of Mosher and Douglas, the hope of
a speedy return of our stolen child was raised to the
(3")

CHARLEY

312

ROSS.

it seemed almost a certainty,
coming in almost breathless suspense.
The quivering between hope and fear, the agonizing doubts, as moment after moment went slowly by,
became almost beyond endurance, and the strain seemed
more than human strength could bear. To be brought

highest pitch.

Indeed,

and we awaited

his

seemingly so near to the recovery of our dear

and

still

to be"

boy,

little

to excruciating uncertainty,

left

is terri-

Yet with the uncertainty that hung over the

ble.

Among

discover the place of his concealment.

fate

made

of the child, vigorous efforts continued to be

to

other

in the hope of leading to
was that of preparing a circular letter, with
a photographic picture of Charley attached on the

measures that were adopted,

that result,

upper margin.
Dear

Sir.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The

mantown, on July

much

This

letter is as follows:

aljfiuction of
1st,

Charles Brewster Ross from Gerawakened

1874, has

universal

sympathy and

active effort in all parts of the country.

Since the killing of the burglars Mosher and Douglas, (who were,
without doubt, the alxiuctors of the child,)

Here follow descriptions of the child, the abductors,
wagon and boat used by them, the latter
found at Bay Ridge after which are given facts ob-

the horse,

;

tained from letters written

by the abductors, and from

other sources.
After leaving Palmer and

Richmond

Streets, Philadelphia, about six

o

CASES OF TRACED CHILDREN.

3I3

o'clock, P. M., July ist, the abductors drove toward the city of Trenton,

N. J., through which they said they passed on the night of July 2d, and
on Bridge Street dropped the boy's hat a broad-rimmed unbleached
Panama, with black ribbon, and without binding. After this, they may

—

have driven toward some one of the streams of water emptying into
Raritan or
uncertain.

mailed

Newark Bay, or possibly as far as Newark, but this is veiy
The abductors returned to Philadelphia July 3d, where they
during the month.

In August, letters were mailed from
and occasionally from other points, as Rondout, and
subsequently from New Haven, New Brunswick, New York, and Philaletters

New York

City,

down

delphia,

to

November

20th.

men were in a row-boat on
and near Rondout, for two days about August 27th.
A letter from them, dated September 23d, and i^ost-marked New
Haven, stated that Charley had been suffering from stoppage of urine,
and that medicine had been obtained by his custodians, which relieved
There

numbering about 3000, were sent to
all the towns and villages
in Connecticut, Rhode Island and New Jersey, in Long
Island, and in the counties in the State of New York
bordering on the Hudson river. They were also sent
to evciy Methodist minister, and to a large number of
the justices of the peace in

the Catholic clergy in the State of

who

New

Jersey, with a

most secluded
parts of the State, to read it to their congregations and
make an appeal to the people to interest them in the
special request to those

visited the

search for the stolen child.

The

writing of so

many

and addressing so
involved an immense

letters,

large a number of circulars,
amount of labor; and while nothing so far has resulted
from it, yet so many responses have come back full of

the liveliest sympathy, and expressing the most earnest
desire to aid in the cause of humanity, that
feel that

we do

our time and labor have been wholly

are not without hope that this effort

means of unravelling

this

profound

may

lost,

not

and

yet be the

secret.

In examining the laws of our State relating to kidit was found that the offense was defined to
misdemeanor,
be a
and that no punishment was pro-

napping,

CASES OF TRACED CHILDREN.

315

vided adequate to the crime of stealing and concealing

As no
had ever occurred in
our country, its commission seems never to have been
anticipated.
A supplement was now added to the
former act of Assembly, making the crime a felony,
and imposing severe penalties on this offense. While
the bill was pending- in the Legislature, I wrote to Senator Dunkel of this city, who offered the bill to the
Senate, for a copy, and also for copies of any other
papers relating to it. His reply to my letter expresses
so much good feeling that I take pleasure in giving it
a child for the purpose of extorting money.
case of kidnapping for that object

which so many other means have failed to do, viz. The return of
your stolen boy to your distressed home. I am not a father, still I can
understand, in some degree, the amount of suffering endured by yourself
that

and

:

Had

wife.

ofiice I

I

known

that your place of business

was so near

to

my

should certainly have called on you, and explained in detail the

provisions of the
I think

it

week goes

bill.

Houses by a unanimous vote before another
city on Friday evening and will be
on you or have you call on me, should you find it con-

will pass both

by.

I shall

pleased to call

be in the

venient to do so.

Hoping, dear
are passed,

and

your darling,

I

sir,

that

that the darkest hours in your long days of suffering

your

home may soon be

have the honor

to

brightened by the return of

be

Your very obedient

servant,

A. K.

Dunkel.

:

CHARLEY

3l6

ROSS.

The law was passed unanimously by both branches
of the Legislature, and approved by the Governor of
the State, February 25, 1875.

On

the same day the

Mayor of

the City issued the

following Proclamation
Mayor's Office, City of Philadelphia, February
To

all

whom

it

may

concern,

I

2j, iSjs-

hereby give notice that the Legislature

of Pennsylvania has passed an act which this day received the approval
of the Governor, entitled,
31st, 1869, entitled

laws of

and

this

"A

supplement to the act approved March

an act to consolidate, revise and amend the penal

Commonwealth,

further defining the offense of kidnapping,

affixing additional penalties thereto."

Said act provides. First

:

That

if

any person

shall maliciously, either

by force or fraud, lead, take or carry away, or decoy, or entice away,

any child under the age of ten years, from

its

parent or parents, or any

having the lawful charge or care of such child or the

other person

possession of such child, with the intent to extort

money

or any valua-

ble thing from the parent or any other person, for the restoration of such
child, every such person shall be guilty of a felony,

and upon conviction

thereof shall be sentenced to pay a fine not exceeding ten thousand dol-

and to undergo an imprisonment, by separate and solitary confinement at labor, for a period not exceeding twenty-five years.
Second, If any person, within this Commonwealth, shall knowingly

lars

conceal, harbor or detain, or assist in concealing, harboring or detaining

any such

away or enticed as aforesaid,
Commonwealth, every such person shall be

child, so taken, carried

within or without this

either
guilty

of a felony, and upon conviction thereof, be sentenced to pay a fine not

exceeding
separate

five

and

thousand dollars, and to undergo an imprisonment, by

solitary confinement at labor, not

exceeding

fifteen years.

And,
Third,

It

holds out to any person or persons

now having

in their

possession any child so taken or carried away, the following inducements
to bring

it

into this State

and surrender

it

:

Provided, That

this act shall

not apply to the detaining or concealing of any child taken or carried

away before

the passage of this act,

where the person or persons so

harboring or concealing shall, within thirty days after the passage of this
act,

surrender up such child to the custody of the nearest magistrate or

CASES OF TRACED CHILDREN.
justice of the peace, or to the sheriff of

any county within

317
this

Common-

wealth.

This immunity will expire on the 25th day of March, 1875.

William S. Stokley,
Mayor of the City of Philadelphia.

To
ing

the foregoing proclamation

added the follow-

I

:

The above

act

having been passed by the Legislature of the State
is now in full force.
Charles Brewster

of Pennsylvania and been approved by the Governor,

The

last

clause applies to the recovery of

Ross, abducted from the vicinity of
sylvania,
I

am

Long

on the

1st

my

my

son

residence,

Germantown, Penn-

of July, 1874.

both of the abductors were killed at Bay Ridge,
morning of December 14th, 1874. And now, in
the immunity from punishment guaranteed by the above law,

satisfied that

Island, on the

addition to

I will give satisfactory assurance to any person having custody of the
child, or

to

me,

who

shall

that I will

be the medium through

whom

pay whatever sum of money

is

he shall be restored

required,

up

to ^5,000,

for expenses or otherwise in bringing about his restoration.

Christian K. Ross.

The Mayor's
published in

all

proclamation, with

my proposition,

was

the leading newspapers of the principal

Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey, and
was copied by nearly all the papers throughout the
Middle and Eastern States, thus giving it the widest
cities in

publicity.

This immunity from punishment for thirty days, so
freely granted

by our

Legislature, to

the custody of the child, and

any person having
restore him

who would

within the specified time, added to the inducement of

more stimulated our expectathe highest pitch, that Charley would soon

the reward offered, once
tions to

Anxiously did we wait for the arrival
of every mail, and nervously open every letter, hoping
that the gladsome intelligence would be communicated

be returned.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
CHARLEY

3l8

ROSS.

from some quarter that the stolen one had been recovDay after day passed away, yet no intelligence of
the child was received; and, as the limited time in which
ered.

the last clause of the recent act of the Legislature held

good was about

to expire,

we began

to fear that nothing

but disappointment would result from this extraordin-

ary

effort to solve the

day of March

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;the

last

mystery.

when

Truly,

of the thirty days

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

the 25th

^passed

away

without getting any intelligence of our darling child,

and for the time we were almost
hope of ever again seeing him, or
of knowing what had become him.
It seemed that everything that ingenuity, perseverance, energy, official, and individual co-operation could
do to restore the child, had been done. The two principals in the heartless, cruel abduction had paid the penour hearts were

sick,

ready to abandon

all

alty of another crime with their lives; but their violent

and sudden death only obscured the

secret,

creased the difficulty of the search;

yet there was

reserved for us a

still

more

bitter

and

in-

draught to drink

prepared by the fiendish cruelty of those with
the abductors entrusted the child, and

who

whom

continued

knowledge of his fate. It is even more
savagely wicked than the original crime itself.
Yet, with the uncertainty which enshrouds the case,
we have always felt that it would be wrong ever to say
that all hope is abandoned for hope will cling to every
straw that the doubt of an unknown fate continues to
throw on the stream of time and with energy, sometimes flagging and again buoyant, we resumed the
search, and examined everything reported to us which
seemed to have any connection with the case, not knowto suppress the

;

;

CASES OF TRACED CHILDREN.

3I9

ing at what time, or in what way, the hard problem

would be

solved.

may be

It

dence to discover the

reserved for

child, just

some

the whereabouts of the brigands; and while
tinue to watch closely

we do

We

may

lead

Providence

works

we

con-

that transpires near at hand,

not neglect to examine everything reported at

a distance.
thing

all

Provi-

such as disclosed

in

cannot
us

to

what apparently

tell

the result so

much

trifling

desired.

the accomplishment of His purposes

in wonderfully diversified

ways, and oftentimes

selects the most unlikely and unpromising instruments to develop His inscrutable designs.
Our time and attention, from this period to the present time, has been chiefly occupied in tracing children in
different parts of the country, who were supposed to be
Charley Ross; and scarcely a day passes without a
report of one or more children who are thought to be

the missing child.

By the immense number

of pictures

of different kinds which have been distributed through-

out the country, Charley's face has become so familiar
that

whenever there

blance to

whom

it,

in

is

a child

who

bears a slight resem-

charge of persons not well known, or to

any suspicious circumstances are attached, we

hear of him either by telegraph or by

Among
children

the

who have assumed, or

name

letter.

the most difficult to trace satisfactorily, are

of

to

Charley Ross.

whom has been given,

Many

instances of this

kind have occurred, not only in the large
far distant places.

Singular as

children in our city have heard

cities,

but in

may seem, even little
so much about Char-

it

ley Ross, that whenever they see another child resembling the picture which they so well know, they are

CHARLEY

320
ready to

ROSS.

There is Charley Ross." An in
came under my notice a short time

call out, "

stance of this kind

ago: a lady

in

passing through one of the small streets

little fellow about the age of
Charley, with long flaxen curls, full round face, and
brown eyes, and heard him called "Charley Ross."
At once she assumed that he was my little son, and
reported where he could be seen.
On going to the
house I found the people had recently moved into the

of the city observed a

neighborhood, and, while talking with the mother, a

by me, followed by a troop of other
"Charley Ross Charley Ross " The child's mother looked
confused, and said, " Those children annoy us very
much; they will call our little boy Charley Ross; and
frequently when I am with the child on the street, I
have been asked if the little boy with me is not the
missing child. His middle name is Ross, and we usually call him by that name."
I told her the child
resembled my little boy slightly, and to prevent her
being annoyed again by persons asking her questions
little

fellow ran

children, singing out at the top of their voices,
!

!

about the child,

I

gave her a

certificate, stating that I

had seen her child and that he was not my son.
A short time ago two little children, a boy and girl,
who had wandered from their homes and were picked
up on the street at night, were brought to a stationhouse; an officer asked the boy, "What's your name?"
He replied, " Charley Ross." Turning to the girl, he
asked her, " What is your name ?" She replied, " Charley Ross too." Whether these children supposed all
lost children must be called Charley Ross, or whether
they thought that by assuming the name they would

1

CASES OF TRACED CHILDREN.
secure kind treatment from the

These cases

in the cities

however, those occuring
kind, which

now

will

I

officer, I

32

do not know.

were soon disposed

relate,

occupied

not so,

of;

A case of this

in the country.

much

labor and

correspondence before the lady having possession of
the child

—reported

by

to us

vinced that he was not our

how

unable to understand

still

correctly so

many

herself

little

questions,

—could

be con-

Indeed,

boy.

we

are

the child could answer

and speak of things con-

nected with our home, with which none were acquainted

By

except members of our family.

permission of the

lady a few extracts from her letters are given, without

however mentioning her name or place of

The

first letter I

received from her,

residence.

is

dated October 20,

—Dear Sir: — Pardon the

liberty of this intrusion,

1875.-

Christian K. Ross.
if

an intrusion

yesterday, a

with

me

He

I obtained out of a public institution

boy whose name

little

bewildered and
parents.

proves to be.

it

He

Ross.

knows who

says he has travelled a great deal.

story of his having

been kidnapped

brother Walter striking one of the
to the institution

1875, etc.
girl

Charley

He

was put

;

seems so

are his right

Since he has been

me

have gained his confidence, and he has told

I

committed

is

so frightened that he hardly

is

the whole

about riding in a wagon, and his

men on

his nose or

under the name of

mouth.

Charley

He

was

Ross, July 18,

into the institution nominally for striking a little

with a stone ; but the magistrate says

child from the influence of a

it

was

really

done

to take the

bad woman who had him in charge.

His
and cut very short but he says when he was with
his right mother he had long curls; he also says he is eight years old,
but is small for that age.
When he was taken from home his mother was
sick and away from home.
There are a great many more facts I could
hair

is

and

light

but will not
sufficient to

soft,

now

keep him.
14*

mention.

Now, Mr.

convince you that he

say nothing about
to

;

it,

as

he

is

is

Ross,

if

you think the above

your child, come

to see

such a sweet, interesting child
Signed,

him if
I would
;

not,
like
.

;

:

CHARLEY

322

ROSS.

While there are many things stated in this letter
which seemed to indicate that the child was really our
Charley, yet there are others said which made it look
impossible.
Of the former, his name Charley Ross
the story that he was kidnapped that he was taken
away in a wagon with his brother Walter he is described as having hair of a light color, soft and curly
when he was taken from his home, his mother was sick
and away. On receipt of this letter I wrote the lady
asking her to send me a picture, and find out from the
and also gave her
child all he could tell of his life
I received a
questions to ask him to test his memory.
reply dated the 29th of October, 1865, from which I
;

;

;

;

make a few
child said

Mr.

extracts, principally of

such things as the

which were correct

C. K. Ross.

— Dear Sir —Your favor of the 25th
:

received and contents noted.

I

inst.

was duly

have done as you requested, in regard

CHARLEY, as far as possible; but it is exceedingly diffihim to say anything about Philadelphia he seems to dread to
think of it, and I can only get him to speak of it when he is earnestly
playing in the house.
I gave him a box of toys with churches, trees,
houses, horses, men, etc., etc., and to-day he built Philadelphia where
he lived, and showed my daughter and me every thing about his home,
and |)ersonated his brothers, sisters, etc. He says " Here is Uncle Joe ;

to questioning

—

cult to get

:

there

is

me

going up to him to get candy.

on the railroad
throwing

the house

;

at

is

is

;

the second from the corner of the street,

is

that's

been there twenty years

— Washington Lane."

alone,

who gave him candy

Uncle

self."

•

Walter and Annie,

Aunt Lewis and Cousin Frank walking
and here are all the trees, with chickens on them and
them in the back yard is Uncle Joe and all his horses ;

with a yellow dress on; there

me

There

When

asked, «

at

Joe's.

He

said "

Sophia, sometimes as his

there.

was

in

Why, he

when

did him-

How did yougo to Philadelphia?" he replied, "On

the Philadelphia train, and sometimes in an omnibus."

says he

on the old lane

I asked him,

sister

a Catholic school

and
at

He

speaks of a

at other times as his cousin.

one time, and

his

He

name was Rossey

;

:

CASES OF TRACED CHILDREN.

The lady then
circus

323

writes of the child as talking about a

and circus people; of his being in a cave where
chained; and closes by saying

men were
The
wish,

picture I send
I'll

you

is

a cheap thing taken in a hurry.

have a bust picture taken.

The

picture

you sent

If

you

me

of

him a great deal more than the one I send you.
The first evening he came we thought he had blue eyes, on account
of having such a fair skin ; but, on looking again, he has dark soft brown

y

our child resembles

eyes,

and a

beautiful, clear complexion.

We

discovered, before receiv-

ing your description of Charley, that his hair was darker

at the roots

was because it had been colored. He is timid, shy
with strangers. Now, Mr. Ross, if there is anything in this letter that
would justify your coming to see the child, please let me know before
you come so that I can prepare him to see you, for I know he will be
very much frightened, etc., etc. Charley is well and as happy as the
day is long, and says he wants to stay with me until he is a man.
Yours respectfully,
but thought that

it

Signed,

.

Although the picture sent was a tin type and a very
poor one, yet, at a glance, we all decided that the child
was not our Charley. Still there were so many things
stated which are correct, that we wrote again to the
lady

we were unable
names so

to

understand

and

how

the child

which
no one outside of the family could possibly know and
asked her to send us a photograph as soon as it could
be taken, and also to write of any other points in the
child's conversation which might bear on his identity.
could

tell

correctly,

relate things

;

In the last letter the child speaks of his Uncle Joe, his
.'lunt

Lewis, his cousin

Frank, his

sister

Sophia, of

Washington Lane and what seemed to us more striking than all else, he says, while playing with some toys,
Here are all the trees, with chickens on them and me
throwing at them." During the summer in which
Charley was stolen a brood of chickens selected one
;

â&#x20AC;˘'

;

CHARLEY

324

ROSS.

of the evergreens in front of the house as a roostingplace, and the children were in the habit of throwing

and stones

sticks

them

at

And

them away.

to drive

again he speaks of his Uncle Joe being in the back yard

with

his horses, also perfectly correct.

all

As

stated above, I have

was our

child

made

boy.

little

Many

other things which he

was enough

said were not correct, yet there

make us extremely cautious

rectly to
I

selections from the

of such things as seemed to indicate that the

letters

stated cor-

as to our decision.

wrote again to the lady, and explained that

all

family concurred in the belief that the child in

she was interested was not ours
to account for the correctness of

;

but

much

the

whom

we were unable
of the story, and

gave her some more questions to ask him.

On
lows

the 17th of November, 1875, she wrote as

Mr.

C. K. Ross.

received.

I

have

a good picture, but
I

have

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Dear

Sir:

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Your

favor of the

tried twice, since writing

am

my

not wholly successful.

Charley

said,

**

His

8th

last letter to

The

but are not perfect as they might be,

;

the question you asked,
sick,

fol-

:

was

inst.

you, to get

inclosed are the best

etc., etc.

In answer to

ma was away

from

home

was with her ;" but he does not say where
you to come to a conclusion about it, for it

and one of

his sisters

I would like
makes me feel uneasy about him; for if he is your child, he may be talfen
away from me.
Mr. Ross, you may think I am working for the reward but, sir, my

they were.

;

motive

is

a

much

at liberty to tell

think
If

he

it

is

for the

higher and nobler one.

you how

I

If

he

is

your child

be

I shall

gained possession of him, as you, no doubt,

strange that I should write you immediately after getting him.
yours,

it

as I think

he

if I can restore him to you
Even should he prove not to.be,

will be a providential thing

ways of Providence are wise.
is, 'tis

truly a

most remarkable case,

Yours
Signed,

etc., etc.

respectfully.
.

:

CASES OF TRACED CHILDREN.

On

32$

receipt of the photographs sent to us,

we were

convinced the child was not ours, and wrote the

fully

at the same tirfie saying it was cermost remarkable case that had been brought

lady to that effect
tainly the

;

to our notice. Subsequently we received several letters
from the same person, giving additional conversations

she had with the child.

she was

still

In one of her letters she stated

inclined to believe the child with her

was

ours; and, in order to satisfy her, a letter was written
to a

gentleman residing

in the

same

city,

asking him

to investigate the matter; photographs of Mrs. Ross,

Walter, and myself, were also sent to him, to find out
whether the child could recognize any of the pictures
when placed among a number of others but he failed
;

any one of them. It was also ascertained
that the boy was more than eight years old.
This was certainly a very wonderful case; so many
sayings of the child might have been those of Charley;

to identify

his description corresponded so nearly with that of
little

our

boy, and the place from which the lady had ob-

tained him,

all

led us to believe that at length

found our missing child; but as soon as the

first

we had
picture

we were satisfied that it was not so.
many children I have seen, no one bears

reached us,

Of

the

striking a resemblance to our

near Schuyler Falls,

little

New York.

boy

I

am

as a

so

boy found

not surprised

that the persons in the neighborhood were enthusiastic

they really had Charley, and I truly
sympathized with them in their disappointment, when
they were convinced they were wrong. The following
letter was written to the Mayor, in substance almost
identical with hundreds of others which have been
in the belief that

received

:

CHARLEY

326

Hon. W.

S.

the description

Schuyler Falls, August 3^ iSyS'
Stokley.—Z>^ar Sir:—\ know of a child who answers
of Charle^ Brewster Ross, son of C. K. Ross. The
and age,

child's hair, eyes, skin

The

people

ROSS.

who

claim

in fact the

this child are

whole appearance

is

the same.

man and woman. The man has
and the woman is of a dark com-

a

the appearance of a half-breed Indian,
plexion.

They

give conflicting accounts of where they

said from one place, the
is

Charley

woman from

another.

The man

came from.
I

am

satisfied this child

Address,

Ross.

James Kelly or Charles Kelly,
SchuyUr FallSy Clinton Co,^ N. Y.

In addition to this letter the following note was received by Mrs. Ross
Mrs. Ross. Dear Madam.

—

near Schuyler Falls.
will not

;

—Please

come

yourself to see the child

A mother will know her child where other persons

and a child

will be very likely to

know

its

mother.

I

am

a

stranger to you, but feel deeply with you in the loss of your darling boy.

A Mother.

Signed,

Schuyler Falls

is

a small village in northern

New

York, about thirteen miles west from Plattsburg, the
nearest telegraph station. Efforts were made to get
further information by means of the Western Union
Mr. Kelly, the writer of the letter to the
Mayor, was brought to the telegraph office in Plattsburg, and a conversation entered into with him, without,
Telegraph.

however, leading to satisfactory

results.

The

child

could not be brought to Plattsburg, and there seemed

no other way of deciding the matter than to go and see
the boy. I went to New York the same night, and
took the first train for Plattsburg on the following morning, via the

White
that

Hudson River

railroad.

Hall, at the foot of

my visit

was

On my

arrival at

Lake Champlain,

I

found

anticipated, the people having heard

of the boy at Schuyler Falls, supposed to be

my Char-

CASES OF TRACED CHILDREN.

The same

LEY.

interest

been elsewhere, when
object of

my

mission.

it

'

32/

was manifested here as had
became known what was the

I

arrived in Plattsburg about

four o'clock in the morning, and found Mr. Kelly wait-

ing for me. After driving about three hours we approached the house where the child was. It is in an

two miles from the village of
Schuyler Falls, well adapted for the concealment of
isolated place, about

any person or thing near the house was a small field
of corn in which the little boy was playing. I called to
him; as soon as he heard a strange voice he ran towards
the house.
Quickly the thought passed through my
mind that the little fellow looked very much like my
Charley. On entering the house, I said to the woman,
" I have come to see this child.
He looks very much
I took the child
like my Charley, but is not he."
;

up, caressed him,

and

tried to induce

him

to talk, but

he would not say anything. In every respect, except
his expression and in the formation of the lower part
His complexof his face, he resembled our little boy.
ion, light curly hair,

form,

all

brown

eyes, size

and roundness of
and I could not

closely resembled Charley's,

from taking him in my arms. The woman said
he was her child, and that she came from the interior
of the State of New York, and her husband from Canada.
refrain

While talking with the woman, the
a French Canadian, with
Indian blood.
He was astonished
sons; for very soon after I got
farmers living in the neighborhood
house

hear

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

my

They

all

father

came

into the

a decided mark of
to see so

many

per-

into the house, the

came

in

numbers to

decision regarding the identity of the child.

were greatly disappointed, and said they had

CHARLEY

328

my

hoped he was

ROSS.

son, not only for

my

sake, but also

who was having

a very miserable home.
two gentlemen from Burlington,
Vermont, had been to see the child the day before, and
told her of a child who was stolen, and that her little
boy looked like the picture of Charley Ross. I told
her if they returned she could say to them I had seen
for the child's,

The woman

said that

the boy, and he was not mine; and kissing the
fellow

I left,

feeling that the people

little

who had been

so

enthusiastic in this case were not at all to be criticised
for the mistake.
I

have already stated that several convicts proposed

to give information relative to Charley, on condition
that they should

be released from confinement

I

now relate a case in which a prisoner attempted to
raise money by claiming to know where the child was

will

secreted.

Early

in

October

man whom he

last,

my

a well-known gentleman of

accompanied by a gentleintroduced to me as an officer of high

this city called at

office

Union army during the late war.
The
army he had occasion to
employ some of his men as spies, that one of these
men named Clark since the close of the war had for
some offense been imprisoned in a penitentiary in
the State of New York, and that while in prison he
was put in a cell with another prisoner by the name
of Jones, who confided to him that he was one of the
party engaged in taking Charley Ross; was with
Mosher and Douglas at the time they attempted the
rank

in the

officer

said that while in the

burglary on
their death

Long Island, but had escaped; that since
Charley Ross had been in his keeping,

CASES OF TRACED CHILDREN.

and was

at that

329

time in charge of a relative of his

did not want to get into trouble

;

who

but as soon as his

time expired he intended to see Mr. Ross and arrange

up the child and get what reward he could.

to give

Clark endeavored to find out where the child was concealed, but failed to get the information.

As soon

as

Clark's term of imprisonment expired, he went to the
city

where

sided

;

commander,

his former

but meeting with a soldier

my

informant, re-

named Watson, who

had acted with him during the war in the capacity of a
spy, he told him what he had heard in the penitentiary
Clark and Watson after consultation
from Jones.
concluded to lay the matter before their General (for
was his rank) and act under his instructions.

that

The General became
the

men

interested in the story, sent both

to the State of

New York

to find Jones, with

instructions to use every effort to discover the where-

abouts of the child.
his release

boring

They

learned that Jones after

from the penitentiary had gone to a neighand had been imprisoned there under the

city,

becoming sick while in jail, the
him on condition that he would
He went to
leave the place within twenty-four hours.
a small city near by, joined a confederate, and the same
night was captured in attempting a burglary, and he
was then in jail awaiting his trial. Clark and Watson
having traced Jones to the jail, went to see him he
reiterated his story to both of them, and said that he
intended to get money enough by robbing the store, in
which attempt he was taken, to pay his expenses to
Philadelphia to see Mr. Ross.
He would not at that
time make any further statement, but appointed a
meeting with them the following day.

vagrant act; but

authorities released

;

CHARLEY

330

ROSS.

During the time Clark and Watson were in jail they
woman were brought
to Jones, and post-marked at a village in northern
New York. They also heard that a woman had
visited him, and at once concluded she was the relative
who had charge of tlie child. On the following day they
called to fill their engagement with Jones, but he still
learned that letters written by a

refused to say anything more.

They now

they had learned to the General,

who

alone to work up the case and find the
instructions as

reported

all

Watson

sent

woman

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;with

soon as he found her and the child

to telegraph in cipher to him.
In tlie meantime Jones
being tried for attempted burglary, convicted and sen-

tenced to one year's imprisonment

in

the penitentiary,

was thus put out of the way of communicating with
any one alone, unless by special permit. However,
Watson thought as he was now sentenced, he would
make another effort to get the secret from him, but was
unable to secure a private interview with him.

Foiled

Watson now began inquiry along the borders
of northern New York for the woman who had visited
the prison, and after some delay traced a woman with
a child who had come from Canada, and located in a
town in the State of Vermont. Having found her,
Watson, now convinced that he had the right woman,
and that the child with her was certainly Charley
in. this,

Ross, telegraphed to the General in cipher:
news, come on, bring some one to identify."

It

"Good
was

at

he came to me, and
to accompany the parties for the purpose

this stage of the investigation that

requested

me

of identification.

The

story in

some

points

was con-

firmed by letters from the sheriff and warden of two of

1

CASES OF TRACED CHILDREN.

33

the prisons in which Jones had been, and there seemed

enough

in

it

to require further investigation.

thought best that

It

should go and examine into

I

After two days' travel

we

arrived in the

was

it.

town where

the womafi and child were staying, and were met by

Watson

During the conversation we had

at the depot.

with him, he said something of there being a concert

would sing. " What
"a concert
My child cannot sing
there is a mistake.
However, since I am here, I will
see the child."
After walking to the outskirts of the
that evening, at which the child

do you say?"

said

I,

!

—

town, as

we approached

served a

woman and

a cluster of cottages

we

ob-

a child on the side-walk, dressed

though they were going to a public place of amusement; and, addressing a gentleman who was walking

as

with me,

I

said,

"That

entirely too large for
satisfied

with

my

is

my

no doubt the
little

boy."

child;

My

decision, spoke to the

he

friend,

is

not

woman, who

immediately suspecting what had brought us to see

—

Watson had been watching her house for sevand she had heard that she was suspected of
having the stolen child became greatly excited, and
her

for

eral days,

—

threatened

my friend for daring to intimate that the child

A

crowd now began to collect,
was Charley Ross.
and we beat a hasty retreat, leaving the field to the lady
and her child.

On

arriving at the hotel, I questioned

He

Watson about

he was mistaken, and had followed the wrong woman, but was certain he was on the
right track, and if he could get a private interview with
Jones in the penitentiary, he had no doubt that Jones
would divulge the whole matter. I did not feel willing
his false clue.

said

CHARLEY

332

ROSS.

to let the matter rest here, and sent

Watson out of the

town

woman had

to avoid being arrested, as the

threat-

and arranged to send him a pass from some one
in authority to have a private interview with Jones.
Feeling that I ought not to leave the place without seeing the lady who had been so annoyed by our looking
at her child, I went to the hall before the time of beginning the concert, and sent my name in with a request
that she would allow me to explain the object of my visit.

ened

An

;

interview being granted, I began to apologize for

when I was stopped by several
young women, who, with the mother of the child all
interrupting them;

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

talking at one time

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

greeted

me

with such a volley of

words that under ordinary circumstances I should have
gladly escaped but feeling they had some cause for
offense, I heard them through, and then asked their
pardon for any annoyance I had caused them, and left
the town the same night.
We stopped at the capital of the State, and obtained
;

from the attorney general the pass into the penitentiary,
sent it to Watson, and returned home to await further
day or two after our return, Watson
developments.

A

came back, and said he had failed to get anything
more from Jones, except that he gave him the name
and address of the attorney who had defended him at
Having determined I would find out the
his last trial.
truth of this story, if it was at all possible, I went per-

also

sonally to see this attorney,

New

York.

resides in the State of
I

asked

if

he

who had been recently convicted
attempted burglary, and was now serving his time

was counsel
for

who

After introducing myself,
for

Jones

in tlie penitentiary.

He

replied that

he had defended

CASES OF TRACED CHILDREN.

him.

then told him what

I

had heard

I

:

333

son, of having possession of

Ross,

I

know

all

my son. He

about that;

I

had
Wat-

that Jones

spoken to Clark, his fellow prisoner, and also to

replied, "

Mr.

claim that Jones would

have got five years instead of one, if I had not been employed in the case. When in our jail, he sent for me to
defend him. I asked how he expected to pay me? He

"There were two men here yesterday, to whom
knew all about Charley Ross, where he
and I had intended to see Mr.
is, and who had him
giving up the child for the
exchange,
Ross to make an
reward, but was picked up too soon. One of these
men was in prison in the same cell with me a short
time ago, to whom I told the same story, and he
replied,

I told that I

;

has brought another person

who

has

money

to

buy me

and they will be here to-day; and I expect to get
six or eight hundred dollars for locating the child, and
will give this money to you for your fee, if you will
out,

defend

me

in this case."

The attorney

said to

me

that he did not think that

proposition altogether legitimate, and he tried to find

He
if there was any truth in his story.
"There is a reward offered for the child,
and if what you say is true, tell me where he is and I
will get him, restore him to his parents, and divide the
reward between you and your mother, after reserving
my fee for defending you;" and added to me, "I conout from Jones
said to Jones,

sidered that legitimate, Mr. Ross."
it

was all a

money

fellow confessed

and he knew nothing; but expected to get

out of some one, and as he was

now

in a tight

he thought he would make it out of the person
had been brought to the jail by his fellow-prisoner.

place,

who

lie,

The

CHARLEY

334

The

ROSS.

attorney was satisfied that the scoundrel had been

and said, "Mr. Ross, you would have heard from
weeks ago, if there had been any truth in what
the fellow said, and I would have made out of it what
I could.
The woman who called at the prison was his
mother, a very respectable woman. My fee was paid
by his mother and brother; he was sentenced to one
year, and I think will not live many months.
If you
would like to talk with him, I will go with you to the
penitentiary, if you pay my expenses and give me a fair
compensation for my time and services. You see, sir,
I am a man of business, and don't wholly depend on
lying,

me

six

the law.
I

have just returned from a county

I

have some

fine cattle

outside of the city;

My

ness.

time

is

I

on exhibition, and

am

also

engaged

with you of course,

if

you pay me; but

everything to get the rascal to
believe

you

will gain

that a person

when

in

well taken up, but

tell

I

fair,

where

have a farm

the iron busistill

I

I will

think

I

go
did

the truth, and don't

anything by the trip." I thought
so sharp an eye to business,

who had

way he
had got the truth out of Jones, and
would rest satisfied that the whole story was

there was a prospect of getting his fee in a

called legitimate,

told

him

I

false.

When on this trip, as the train about noon approached Rutland, Vermont, I observed that a circus
and menagerie company were exhibiting, and a person
in

the car remarked that they had a

Charley Ross on

exhibition.

wax

figure of

Learning that we would

have to wait in Rutland about two hours for the train
which was to take us to our destination, I proposed to my
friends to visit the wax figure.
After dining, we went

CASES OF TRACED CHILDREN.

show.
on horseback, and

Large crowds of people,
wagons, were wending

in the direction of the

on

foot,

way

their

in the

same

tent,

our object was

was

in the

wagon

first

335

in

After entering the

direction.

wax image, which
door. The wagon or

to see the

nearest the

cage was divided into two compartments, in the

first

of which was a representation of what was called the
" Intemperate Family;" in the other
prietor called the
five persons.

The

was what the pro-

"The Ross Family," consisting
figure called Charley was that

a very handsome child, of about his age and
hair, which looked as
but was flowing when we saw it.

long flaxen

if it

size,

had been

He had

of
of

with

curled,

dark brown

eyes and features rather sharp, was dressed in a linen
suit,

and was standing on a pedestal in front of a small
one arm resting on it. He was represented

table, with

as being about to speak to a

little girl,

supposed to be

who was seated on a small
table.
At one end of the table

his eldest sister,

chair at

the end of the

near the

was the figure of a lady supposed to represent Mrs. Ross.
She had a sad countenance, and was
dressed in a light green silk dress, trimmed in the extreme of fashion. At the other end of the table was a
figure of a man with florid complexion, large moustache
little

girl

of a dark color, with a clean-shaven face, apparently

about

By

thirty-five years of age,

the side of the

man

there

supposed to be myself.
little boy about

was a

three years old, dressed in a sailor suit and

on a hobby-horse.
which I was most
It

The

mounted

representation of Charley, in

interested, was not a likeness of him.
lacked his roundness of features, and the expression

of the face was entirely different from his.

:

CHARLEY

336

On

ROSS,

the pedestal on which the figure of

was standing there was pasted a placard
I will give to

THE ROSS FAMILY.
who will restore to me the lost
give me any information which

any one

who will
the sum of ^2,000.

B. Ross, or
recovery,

Charley

as follows

child,

Charley

will lead to his

[Signed by the Proprietor.]

After looking at the group a few minutes,

we walked

round the circle of wagons, in which were other wax
figures and animals, and then returned to the van
which contained " The Ross Family," and found the
space so crowded that it was difficult to get near.
The friend who accompanied me suggested that we
should take different positions, and hear the remarks
made by the visitors. A gentleman and lady came
near to where I stood, and looking at the group a few
moments, the man said to the lady, pointing to the
figure of

Charley

lady replied,

**

:

" That's

Ain't he

looks like his father."

Charley Ross." The
handsome
how much he
The child had dark brown
;

eyes, while mine in the figure were very light blue.
Another man and woman with two children approached;
the man, called the attention of his wife to the group,
and raised his children up, telling them, "That little
boy is Charley Ross, who was stolen from his home,
and has not been found." And with great emphasis he

continued, "

I

know that child
Many other remarks

should

him anywhere."
different persons

if I

ever saw

were made by

which seemed to us ludicrous

;

yet

they showed the sympathy and kind feelings of the
people.

Having heard when in Burlington, Vermont, a few
months before this time, that Smith's circus had a wax

:

CASES OF TRACED CHILDREN.

Charley and had

figure of

337

distributed printed handbills

describing him, and setting forth that the boy's parents

and the
would give ^3,000 more, and
tliat Smith himself would add ^2,000, I went to the
doorkeeper and asked if they also distributed circulars ?
he answered, " No." I asked him if many persons
came to see this group. He replied, " Many persons
who would not go to a circus come to see Charley
Ross ;" and while talking to the doorkeeper, 1 overheard
a person calling the proprietor of the show by name.
At once I turned to my friend, who was still interested
in the remarks made by the crowd, and told him that
I would talk with the proprietor. He replied, " I know
him, and will introduce you to him." He introduced
me by the name which I had assumed, Mr. Robinson.
After a few casual remarks between the proprietor and

had

offered ;^5,000 reward for his recovery,

ladies of Philadelphia

my friend,
" I see

I said to

the proprietor

:

you have a wax representation of the Ross

He

family ?"

said

**Yes."

" Is

it attractive ?" I asked.
" Oh, yes, the space around the

crowded, as you see

it is

now.

wagon

is

generally

Many persons come

to

Charley Ross who would not go to a circus."
"Then it must be profitable?"
"Yes, more so than any other thing. It's no ex-

see

pense to me."
"Is the likeness of Charley regarded as a good
one?"

"Yes,

it is

"Where
15

taken from a picture."

did

you get the picture?"

CHARLEY

338
"

From

" I see

ROSS.

the family."

you have

also the father

and mother, and two

other children; are they good representations?

"Yes,

I

know Mr. and

Mrs. Ross well.

My winter

quarters are only about one mile from their residence,

and

I

have seen them

often,

and have been to

their

house."

"How

about the other children in the group?"
Oh, they have other children besides Charley, and
those are good likenesses of two of the other children."
" How about Charley's hair ?
I always heard that
when it was long it curled easily, while the hair on that
"

figure

is

straight."

" Well,

you

a damp day and, although the
we cannot without a great deal of

see, it's

hair was curled,

;

trouble keep the curls in."

After continuing the conversation a while,

not restrain myself longer from telling him

I

who

could
I

was,

and nodded to my friend, who was so ashamed at the
trap in which the proprietor was caught, that he signified to me not to do it.
I again asked the showman
a number of other questions, and his replies involved
him in greater straits. I then turned, and looking him
full in

the face, said;

"Do you

think

I

look likethe

man you have

repre-

sented in the cage?"

After taking a

fair

look at me, he replied:

"No."
" Well, sir, I am the father of Charley Ross," at the
same time handing him a photograph likeness of Charley.
My friend also was obliged to confirm my statement. The proprietor was so dumfounded that he

;

CASES OF TRACED CHILDREN.

.

339

could not say anything for a minute, and looked as

though he would
rallying, he said:

like to hide himself if

My goodness, you

he could ; but

Charley Ross's

father," and
do sympathize
with you You saw that poster on the pedestal on which
the figure of your little boy stands well, I'll give ;^2000
for the information where your little boy is, and nothing
would please me better than to have a chance to pay it
and I don't think I do you any harm by making this
exhibition of yourself and family, but rather good; for,
**

taking both of

my

aint

hands, said, "

How

I

!

;

I

assure you,

many

people see this group

who would

otherwise never have heard of the loss of the child; and
further, I

The

would go many miles

picture from which the

if I

could serve you."

wax model was made,

he said, he obtained from the Mayor of our city, in
whose office he said he was introduced to me. I told
him he had the representation of a very pretty child,
but there was no resemblance in it to my little boy.
He said it was the best he could get, and that Smith's
figure was made in the same mould. I then asked him
how he got the rest of the family?
"Well," said he, "Mr. Ross, I'll tell jou, but I would
not care to have it known. We used to have a representation of an intemperate and of a temperate family in
that van, separated by a partition and when we got the
figure of Charley, we let the intemperate family stand,
and changed the label of the other from the " Temperate Family" to "The Ross Family," and put the
figure of Charley in front as you see it.
That's the
way we arranged it." I was a little taken aback myself at this explanation
but the man evidently sympa;

;

:

CHARLEY

340

ROSS.

same time had an
eye open to business, for as I was leaving him, he said
" Now Mr. Ross, when that boy's found I want you to
He will draw better than
let me have him to exhibit.
thized deeply with me, and at the

you a thousand dollars a
week for him for thirty weeks." I told him I was not
considering that now. My object was to get possession
of the boy, and the purpose of my visit was to see a child
reported to be Charley but I had but little hope of
success.
I bade him good bye, and he called out again,
**
Remember, ^30,000 for thirty weeks exhibition." He
told me in tlie conversation that while in Canada he
picked up two tramps who had a child which he supposed was my little boy, and had taken them a long
distance before he was satisfied that he was wrong, thus
showing his interest and earnest desire to aid us in recovering Charley.
I left him, feeling very kindly
anything

I

can

get.

give

I'll

;

towards him.
It is

grams

who
time

not an unusual thing to receive letters and tele-

"Send me some person

similar to the following:

can identify Charley Ross, quick;" and for some
after the

either

abduction

we were quick

by going or sending

to respond,

to the place from

dispatch or letter came; but

we soon

which the

learned that

it

was very easy for persons to be mistaken in identity,
and getting so many calls to go here and there, it became necessary to adopt some other method of tracing
children.

The

telegraph, as

I

have already

ing at our service gratuitously, wherever
investigated cases

been successful

by means of

in arriving at

as already related.

One

of

it,

stated, be-

we could we

and generally have

a satisfactory conclusion,
tlie

most exciting cases

i

:

CASES OF TRACED CHILDREN.
publicly

known

34!

of a child reported to be Charley,

of a boy found in a railroad car and taken to

St.

was

Albans,

Although we were satisfied he was not
Charley, upon our first information of him, yet it was
difficult to convince the people of St. Albans and other
places that our judgment was correct.
I first heard of
in
cars
on
my
way
to New York.
while
the
this boy
In reading the morning paper my eye rested on a telegram from St. Albans, saying that there was a child in
that place who gave his name as Charley Ross, and
On reaching
said he was stolen from Philadelphia.
New York I went to the Western Union Telegraph
office, and through the kindness of the Superintendent
was put in direct communication with the operator in
St. Albans, asking for a description of the child, and reVermont.

ceived the following answer:

"The

child

is

about forty

inches in height, has light curly hair, quite long; slim

frame and features, right eye a

little crossed, wears blue
and pants, and rough, heavy, long boots;
evidently seven years old, sound teeth, and lips resembling the Ross boy's, blue eyes'* I then asked, " Can
he give the name of either of his brothers or sisters?"
Answer, "Mary and Freddie." I answered, "Wrong,
Charley's eyes are brown;" and I supposed it was ended

sailor's shirt

Two

there.

or three days afterwards,

I

received two

from St. Albans, one from a citizen, the other
from the sheriff of the county, each covering a photograph of the boy.
few extracts from both letters are
letters

A

given
St. Albans,

Mr.

C.

K. Ross.

Vermont, December 30,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Sir:â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Enclosed

you

boy, found on night express train from Boston to Montreal,

posed by many persons to be your

lost

187^.

will find photograph of

Charley.

He

is,

who
as

is

a

sup-

you will

;

:

CHARLEY

342
sec,

ROSS.

a bright intelligent lad, judged to be about seven years old, though

some think him older. The boy
he was taken from his parents

When

in Philadelphia

with brown trimmings

;

he said the house next

name

says his

is

Charley Ross, and

in Philadelphia about

two years ago.

he lived in a large light-colored brick house,
that he had a brother Eddie and a sister Mary

was occupied by a Mr. McDaniels;
and Stoughton. His
grandfather's name was Archie Ross ; he attended school on Windsor
to his father's

says he has cousins by the

street,

and

his teacher's

name was Cope.

name

of Harry, Walter

name was Grant

;

his Sunday-school teacher's

him the following hymn: "Jesus loves me,
that I know," etc.
that he was taken away in a carriage ; that his
brother was in a carriage with him they rode to a store where they got
candy and marbles ; then they went to a cemetery where his brother
was left out of the wagon and he wanted to go with him, but the mea
He says his mother's horse is called Polly,
said they would whip him.
and speaks about a Dr. Dunton. He gives a remarkable account of himself and his story is straight. He is here in custody, and if you think this
Mr. Rugg, the gentleis worthy of your notice, telegraph to me at once.
She

learnt

;

:

man

whom

with

the boy

is

now,

is

very confident that he

your

is

little

boy, and says his eyes are not blue but hazel.

D.

J.

MORRELL,
St.

P. S.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;The above

is

Sheriff,

Albans^ Vermont,

boy has given the

substantially as the

story to us.

D.

The

M.

J.

other letter says

There is a boy in St. Albans who says his name is Charley Ross.
was taken to Governor Smith's house, and an album given him to
look over. He identified a boy by the name of Willie Stanton, which
was correct, etc., etc. There are many things which he says that have
been substantiated. Many of the people are anxious you should come
to St. Albans, and will pay all your expenses whether he proves to be
your boy or not. If you have not started before this reaches you, please
telegraph that you are coming, etc., etc.

He

There

a difference of opinion about the color of his eyes

is

dark hazel

few words.

;

persons also differ in respect to his age.

The

and do not want

people sympathize very

to let this child get

given your opinion.
I

am

Hoping

that

much

away

you

until

will

;

they are

I will only

add a

with you and your wife,

you have been here and

come immediately,

etc.

yours truly,

Signed,

.

:

CASES OF TRACED CHILDREN.

Other

343

were received at the same time from

letters

what the boy
was said that he

citizens in St. Albans, giving reports of

said of his past

life,

in

one of which

it

could write, and gave the name of some of his schoolmates.

Before any of these letters reached me, I received the
following telegrams, dated
St. Albans,

Christian K. Ross.— Come
fare will
at

New

be paid.

Weldon House

to St.

Albans

satisfactory developments.

free of expense.

Vermont.

to identify boy.

Make

Railroad

your

home

Answer.

Proprietor of Weldon House.

Signed,

St. Albans,

C. K. Ross.
sible

—^The boy has dark hazel eyes

your expenses will

;

all

;

January i^ 1876,
come on as soon as pos-

be paid.

LAVENDER.

Signed,

And on

the next day the following

—

K. Ross. Have you received Sheriff Morrell's letter ; if so are you
Your boy is here sure. People much excited. Arrive, if posCome immediately to my room. One
sible, on early morning train.
C.

coming?

Lavender.

Signed,

seventy-six unnoticed.

I had not received the sheriff's letter containing the
photograph at the time the above telegrams were sent
to me, and replied I would await the arrival of the pic-

ture,

and then telegraph what

I

would

do.

But the

people were so intensely in earnest that another dis-

must come to St. Albans by
I would talk to the
child, and ask him some questions by telegraph, and
requested the sheriff to bring him into the telegraph

patch was sent, insisting
the next train.

office in St.

"What
"

is

I

I

now concluded

Albans.

I

asked:

your name?" answer:

Charley Ross."
name ?"

" Your brother's

CHARLEY

344
"Eddie;"

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;gave names of

ROSS.

his cousins as

Walter and

Harry.

"On what
"

street or lane did

you Hve?"

West Albion."

"How

were you taken from home?"

" In a carriage."

Who was taken
"My brother."
"

"What

is

with you ?"

your eldest

sister's

name**"

"Mary."

Th^ conversation was kept up until I was satisfied
Dcyond a doubt that he was not my little boy. The
only answer to the few questions given above that is
correct is, that he was taken away in a carriage. I then
telegraphed that the child was certainly not my Charley.
In answer to which the following dispatch was
received: "All leading citizens had the boy to dinner
and tea, etc. Thcyjiave conversed with him, and all
sincerely believe he is your son there is a great excitement, and nothing will satisfy them until Mr. Ross
;

sees him."

They further stated "that the boy had pointed out a
photograph of Willie Stanton, son of Mr. M. Hall Stanton, of Philadelphia, in an album, and called him by
name. Mr. Stanton is a friend of Governor Smith's,
where the child was when he saw the photograph."
Mr. Stanton being a resident of this city, he was
brought to the telegraph oflRce to explain if possible
He said that he knew Governor Smith
the puzzle.
well, and his family had been visiting in the neighborhood of St. Albans for several months during last
summer, but he could not tell how the child knew his

:

CASES OF TRACED CHILDREN.

son

345

but promised when the picture came to hand,

;

and ask his Httle boy if he could
Mr. Stanton also telegraphed
to Governor Smith, but received no information differing from that already in our possession. The Governor closed his dispatches by saying, " We will pay Mr.
Ross's expenses if he will come up and solve this vexed
question."
The following morning after all this telegraphing, which was carried on nearly the whole of the

would take

that he

who

tell

it

the child was.

preceding day,

received the sheriff's letter with the

I

photograph, and telegraphed to him that the child was
not my Charley, and Mr. Stanton's son did not recog-

The picture has not the faintest
Charley besides, he is much too old.
eight months to-day.
Some few things

graph of the child in your charge.
resemblance to

My

little

boy

my

little

five

is

son

years

;

the boy has told are correct, but could be learned from circulars 01

newspapers ; such as " Miss Cope, his Sunday-school teacher," and
" Dr. Dunton, our family physician." Generally, however, his answers

My

are far out of the way.

We live
not

little

boy never lived

know any boys

went

in Philadelphia; never

a part of his alphabet ; could not write.

In

to school.

fact,

he was a

wearing dresses when he was taken away, July the

no brother

called Eddie, or sister

named Mary.

brick house, but a stone plastered house

named

Lizzie.

I

have no idea that

account of travel; he

come

in the city proper.

He did
Knew only

seven miles out in the country, in a sparsely-settled part.

is

too young.

;

1st,

We

little

1874.

do not

fellow,

He

did not have any hired

my Charley could
I sent for

has

live in

a

girl

give a connected

Mr. M. Hall Stanton

to

and gave him the picture to show
to his son W^illie, with the hope that we might trace something connected
with this child who is with you. He returned it this morning saying his
to the telegraph office yesterday,

boy could not
15^

tell

who he

was.

Willie Stanton had no school teacher

CHARLEY

34^
named Miss
so I

am

Grant, and he does not

know any

of the boys named, etc.;

unable to give you any information where the child belongs.

It is not

an unusual thing

Charley

selves

ROSS.

and they

Ross.

who

are astray to call them-

are the most difficult to handle, because persons reporting

would know

will not be convinced that I

absence.

them up

for children

have had a number of instances of the kind,

I

I take

until I

more pains

am

fully

my

to investigate

am

convinced I

boy

little

after so

them

long an

such cases, and do not give

right,

which has been done in

this instance.

Thanking you and the

citizens

who have

matter, for their expressions of sympathy

wish their suspicions were correct, and

this

taken such an interest in this

and kindness, I could only
long and great mystery was

my little Charley.
I am most respectfully yours,

solved by the return of

Christian K. Ross.

To

the gentleman

come

to St. Albans,

my

during

why

was

I

who wrote and telej^raphed me to
and make my home at his house

stay in the place, after giving the reasons
satisfied the child

an excitement was not
This

is

fathom.

not the
I

first

my

who had

son, I said

caused so great
:

case that has baffled the skill of strangers to

have one that

is

Charley

much more

remarkable, where a child not

many questions rightly,
we might suppose no one
could know anything about, except members of my own family or those
very intimate with it and yet, when fully investigated, proved to be
himself

only

calls

and

rglates quite

Ross, but answers

a number of things which

:

wrong.

jump

Experience has taught me, in the past eighteen months, not to

examine

at conclusions too hastily, but to

feci disappointed so greatly

The

(which has thus

far

first.

been

my

I then

do not

lot).

child you have has either read or heard read the Pinkerton cir-

last summer a year (1874) in which questions
were asked and the answers given, that strangers might more readily find
out from any child they might deem suspicious if he was really mine,

culars

which were issued

etc., etc.

those

I

have written to you

who were

fully, as

so deeply interested

to identify the child.

time and money.

I considered

I think,

it

well as to the Sheriff, to satisfy

why

I

have not been to

would be a

St.

Albans

useless expense of both

however, that the child with you has been to

Philadelphia, and being observant, has picked up

some knowledge of

4

CASES OF TRACED CHILDREN.
places, etc.,

34/

which with the assumption of the name of Charley Ross
who have been interested in the case. Hoping you

has deceived those

may

get the truth

and

where the boy belongs,
Christian K. Ross.

find out

am

I

yours truly.

Notwithstanding the most rigid examination by

dif-

boy maintained that
he was Charley Ross and no one else. He was referent persons in St. Albans, the

clothed and feted by the kind citizens; and although
the reasons which

gave that he could not be

I

many

child were unanswerable, yet

was mistaken

and not until the child
Hampshire, where his
lived, did he confess that he had been imposing
people.
His name proved to be Jimmy

the belief that

was on
mother
on the

my

persons clung to

his

I

way

to Milford,

Many

Blanchard.

;

New

persons at the time criticised

my

Albans and personally exalso received not a few letters

course in not going to

St.

amining the boy. I
from persons in different places who attempted to argue
that the

him

boy was mine,

with his

stating that I

long an absence.

after so
little

boy

Willie,

would not know

Mr. Stanton's family,

had been

to Milford for^a

few days at a military encampment, and the Blanchard

boy heard from Willie Stanton v/hat he knew of places
in and around Philadelphia, and his fertile imagination
supplied the

rest.

was sorry that the people of St. Albans had
been imposed on, yet the kind treatment bestowed on
the little deceiver was evidence of what my own child
would have received had he fallen into their generous

While

I

hands.

Among

the

first

we have asked, whenever
who was thought to be Charley,

questions

a child was reported,

CHARLEY

348
has been,

"What

the large

number of

who have

a light or

is

ROSS.

the color of the eyes?" and out of
children

fair

who have been

complexion, and light

traced,

hair,

but

few have dark eyes; generally they are blue or bluish

This test frequently has been the only one on
which our decisions have been based yet we have found
that it is not altogether safe to rely on the judgment of
gray.

;

Men

persons in this respect.
stances

when

are generally very unre-

In many inmen have given their opinion as
of a child who was standing before

liable in distinguishing

shades of color.

several

to color of the eyes

them, they have differed; and even the same person has,
at a different time, given a different opinion; and when
that

is

the only test within our reach,

woman may examine

we ask

that a

the child's eyes, and have found

much more likely to be correct
remember an instance in which a man reported a
child, of whose idenity with Charley Ross he was certain, and when asked about the color of his eyes, answered so decidedly wrong that we supposed the matter was settled; but soon he changed his opinion as to
her decision
I

the color, and the subsequent tracing of the child in-

volved considerable labor and expense.
telegram was received at the Mayor's

The following

office in this case:

Monroe, Michigan, September ^^

Mayor of the City of Philadelphia. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Charley Ross
and

'^7J.
is

alive,

M. Miller.

is in this state.

This dispatch was taken to Mr. Robinson, Manager
of the Western Union Telegraph Company, and he

asked the operator at Monroe, Michigan,
"Who

is

M. Miller?

the color of his eyes

Where

is

the child mentioned by

him?

What

:

:

:

::

:

CASES OF TRACED CHILDREN.

To which
Miller

is

the following reply was sent
Monroe, Michigan.

here; says child's eyes are blue.

To which
Thanks

349

Mr. Robinson answered

for kindness

child Miller refers to

We ^supposed

Charley Ross

;

has hazel or brown eyes.

The

wrong.

is

that

was decided but very soon
office in Monroe, and sent

it

;

Mr. Miller returned to the
the following dispatch

Monroe, Michigan,
Miller has just been in; says the boy "has

edly

Charley

emphasis that he

The next
Where

is

He pounded

Ross.
is

his

fist

brown

September, iS^S-

eyes,

is

undoubt'

Operator.

Signed,

not mistaken.

and

on the desk, and says with

question that was asked was
Can you

the child ?

see

it

or get

it

in our office ?

The answer

to the above

is

as follows

Monroe, Michigan, September
Miller wont

He

is

tell

anything

quite positive the clue

;

is

Ross

RoBiNSON.

family cannot leave the city now.

ii.

wants Ross to come or send some one.
right.

Signed,

OPERATOR.

A reply was sent
Philadelphia.
Out of the question
time.

Is

it

for

any of the Ross family to leave the

city at this

not possible to have the child brought to our office

?

Robinson.

Answer:
Monroe, Michigan.

Man

thinks Ross should

come immediately,

or child will be removed.

Operator.

Signed,

To Monroe, Michigan
Philadelphia, September
I will submit correspondence to Mr'. Ross,

who has been in correspondence with the Ross family, is confident that
Charley is in Monroe. Miller, when in our office, declared confidently
that

he was not mistaken.

It is

worthy of further investigation.

can render Mr. Ross any assistance,

call

If I

C. Fox,

on me.

Superintendent fV, U. Telegraph Co,

To which

Mr. Merrihew replied

Philadelphia, September 2}
Superintendent W. U. Telegraph Company, Detroit,
Michigan.— My chief clerk, William B. Gill, and Manager Robinson's
brother, are in the West somewhere.
I will endeavor to find them, and
request them to visit Monroe and investigate the matter. It is impossiC. Fox,

ble for any one of the Ross family to leave the city at this time.

important

trial is

J.

The next
Gill

Merrihew,

Superintendent.

thing that was required was to find Messrs.

and Robinson, and the following message was sent

to Chicago,

111.:

Philadelphia, September
Joseph
III.

12, 187s.

W.

—We

Robinson, care of H. C. Maynard, Manager, Chicago,
have a report of a child at Monroe, Michigan, answering the

description of

Charley

Ross.

until after Westervelt trial.
trip,

An

pending which requires their presence.

and run down

to

Ross family can't leave Philadelphia

Will you and Mr. Gill put off your Denver

Monroe, investigate the case and report

H.

telegraph ?

To which

result

by

C. Robinson, Manager,

the following reply was sent:

Chicago, III., September i2y iSysH. C. Robinson, Philadelphia. Your brother and I will go. Has

—

Mr. Ross any

instructions ?

We start to-night.
Wm.

B. Gill.

:

:

1

:

CASES OF TRACED CHILDREN.

35

Mr. Merrihew replied as follows
Philadelphia, September

W.

B. Gill, Chicago, III.

ley's eyes are hazel
taken for brown.

—no

— See the

approach to blue or gray, might readily be

Question the child and report the answers.
J.

On

12^ 187S'

Mr. Ross says Char-

child.

arriving in

Merrihew,

Superintendent.

Monroe, Michigan, Mr.

Gill sent the

following telegram

Monroe, Michigan, September 13, i?>7S'
H. Robinson, Philadelphia. Arrived all right.
Boy is about
twenty miles back in this country we'll hire wagon and drive over;

—
—

tell

W.

Mr. Ross.

B. Gill.

After seeing the child they returned to .Ypsilanti,
the nearest telegraph station, and sent the following

message
Ypsilanti, Michigan, September 14, 187$Child is wrong sure. We went

H. C. Robinson, Philadelphia.
to school-house to-day,

and Mr.

—

Gill did the questioning.

There are

matters to be investigated at Detroit ; will telegraph again from there.

Joseph Robinson.

When

they arrived in Detroit, they examined into

the matter which was connected with the case in that
city,

and sent the following message

•

Detroit, Michigan, September 18, 187J.
H. C. Robinson, Philadelphia. We stopped over here and find
out that the child near Monroe is a foundling ; was taken from Children's

—

Home

at Detroit.

It is

not

Uhakley

Ross.

Joseph Robinson.

Messrs. Gill and Robinson further reported, after their
return to Philadelphia, that on arriving in

Monroe they

acquainted the City Marshal with the object of their
visit, who kindly consented to aid them in looking for

and examining the

child.
They found Miller, the perwho sent the first information, and learned that he
really knew nothing, except what he heard from his

son

CHARLEY

352
daughter.

She was then

ROSS.

visited,

and her story was that
who was a stranger,

a child in the Belleville School,

bore so striking a resemblance to the pictures of Char-

ley Ross, as to warrant the belief that he was

really

the stolen child.

The gentlemen visited

the school, and after question-

ing the boy a few moments, they were convinced he

was not Charley Ross; and also found out that
he was called Jimmy Angell, and that he was the
adopted son of a family of that name living about four
miles from Belleville, and his home, while attending
school, was with his adopted grand-parents, who reside

They

in that village.

also learned that the child

been taken from the Detroit

Home

had

of the Friendless.

At Detroit the statement of Mr. AngcU was confirmed
by the record of the institution and by the matron.
The child in question had been found in Mr. J. W. Frisbee's yard, December 28, 1869.
He was then apparently about three
to the

weeks

old,

Home, where he was

of James

W.

and Mr. Frisbee sent him

registered under the

name

Frisbee, and on the 28th of January, 1870,

he was given to Mr. Angell, who lives near Monroe.
Here the matter ended, and all the certainty which Mr.
Miller expressed as to this child being my little boy
was reduced, when he was questioned, to a very slender thread.

I

have given the telegraphic correspond-

ence in this case
to the public to
vestigate cases

in full, believing

know

by the

of the telegraph wires.

in

it

will

be interesting

what way we endeavor

facilities

to in-

afforded us in the use

:

A MYSTERY

CHAPTER XII.
NOT CLEARED UP — CHILDREN

THE UNITED STATES AND NOVA

MONG

TRACED IN

SCOTIA.

the later incidents connected with the

search for

my

httle son,

none caused greater

public excitement for a short time than the

following letters, the

of which

first

4th of September, 1875.

It is

was received on the

here given

Mr. Ross.
If

you will find the address of william or "Walter Baker, and let me
Baker is the only
son.

know through the paper, you shall have you
man who hands I will trust it in. You boy is
for to get

him.

alive, but will take

lived at George's Station, S. C.
this thing settled soon, for I

I think

am

he

is

in Philadelphia.

worried to deth about

gone up.

I did not take

know where he

I

it.

leave the country and I want you to have you boy, as our

time

who wonce

Advertise for Walter or William Baker,

I

want

want

game

is

to

now

him, but was to have a shair in the money.

—

and you

shall have him in 5 weeks
no sooner
no money. Westervell don't know where he is. Nor does Mrs.
Mosher. I am the only one. I want to get out of it the best I can.
Don't publish this, but hold quiet and find Baker, and believe me I

I

is

—and

When you

know.

have found the address of Baker put

this in the

pursnel column of the Ledger.

One

of the 4.

Don't show

work

fast

To
ter)

I

now.

find

I

have found him.

this to the

I pity

newspaper men,

for I

you much.

it

I

and
OF the 4.

quiet,

Mr. Baker (the person mentioned in this

inserted, in the personal

column of the

Ledger the following advertisement:
y

want

1

let-

Ptiblic

:

CHARLEY

354

ROSS.

Wdl Walter or Wmiam Baker, late of
me his address?

C. K. Ross,

306 Market

The

C, send

George*s Station, S.

Street.

publication of this advertisement brought Mr.

my place

Baker to

of business promptly the next morn-

After introducing himself, he inquired what I

ing.

wanted with him.

Holding up the anonymous letter
he could see the hand-writing, I

at a distance, so that

asked, "

Do you

recognize that writing ?"

"Why,

that

"WTio is Nelse
Booth ?'â&#x20AC;˘ I asked. "A man who about two years ago
worked with me in South Carolina," he replied. On
further questioning, he stated that he became acquainted with Booth while in the army, and after the
war had met him at George's Station, South Carolina,
where he obtained employment for him, but had not
looks like Nelse Booth's," he replied

seen him or heard from him for a period of eighteen
months.
Baker did not regard Booth as the right

kind of a man, as he had proposed to him one or t^'O
enterprises

He

which he could not conscientiously approve.
Booth called himself Nelse Laurie,

also said that

also Sprague.

He

told

I

him the contents of the

letter.

seemed surprised, and declared he knew nothing

about the matter.

Obtaining Baker's address,

I

put

the following in the personal colunm of the Ledger on
the 7th of September
One

of the four.

The same morning

I

I

have foimd him.

received the following letter:

Mr. Ross:-^

Yoa

sfaoold

have

let

me know hb

address throvgh the Ledger.

have ererfthiag ready when I know where he
59Bar|Mt his Post
pot

h

in tiie

**

office

or the

is.

name and number

Starbeam** colmnn or the

**

Let

of the

me know
street.

FefSonaT* cobonn.

I

in the

Yoa can
Yon are

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

A MYSTERY NOT CLEARED
Hurry up and keep quiet

delaying me.

35$

UP.

Let your nodce be

this

way:

W.

P.O.,

B.,

or the number of the

street.

of the street or

Thb

man.

city.

I will give a

full

Pill the

blank with the name or number

must be closed to-morrow,

for I

account to [him] but to no one

must get

*

haste.

In answer to which

I

this

So make

else.

*

published in the evening paper

the same day

i

Walter Baker, No.

1 619 Market Street, Philadelphia.

This advertisement was received at the newspaper
office

too late for classification, and appeared only in

the last edition in an obscure comer, so that I had
ficulty in finding

me
his

Nevertheless Baker came to see

it

early next morning, to

name and

dif-

address.

I

know why

explained

it

I

had published
and ex-

to him,

pressed surprise that he should have seen the adver-

He

tisement

stated that his attention

had been

by a person who knew him. I told him I
posed he would get a communication of some

to

it

and that

called
suj>-

kind,

it as soon as he received it
went to the telegraph office to
learn something of Baker and Booth, the professed
writer of the letters.
I found that Baker had lived at
George's Station, and that nothing objectionable was
known of him while in that place, and that Laurie
under the name of Booth had also resided there a
short time, and but little was known of him. Baker's
description and his story of him were confirmed. After
leaving George's Station he had written several letters
to Baker and one to another person, in which he signed
his name Nelse Laurie, and said he had written Baker
several times and got no reply, and inquired whether

I

desired to see

In the meantime,

I

CHARLEY

356

he was

Subsequently by

in the place.

still

ROSS.
letters I re-

and
Booth while they lived in George's Station. Our suspicions were now aroused that this was another
scheme to practice a deception of some kind, and we
awaited further developments. Very soon after leaving
me, the same day on which my last advertisement
appeared, Baker returned with a letter which he said
he found at his hotel, written by the same person who
had been writing to me, and whom he declared to be
ceived

descriptions and history of both Baker

full

The

Nelse Booth.

letter is as follows

:

Baker :â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
let me know where you was I would tell where
So I will. Baker. You have been a good friend to
me and give me good advice when we was down South. You kept me
out of a scrape and set me up for to get home. Now, if you will follow
my advice you shall have the honor of finding Charley Ross, as I had a
hand in stealing him. I want you, and no one but you, to go. If you
I will
don't go, as I say, you, nor Mr. Ross either, will ever get him.

I said if

Mr. Ross

Charley Ross was.

know all about it if you go.
Charley Ross is in England.

He

ford.

is

the hands of a family

who

them

calls

a wagon where
get him.
gipsies

first

to Liverpool, then to

who now

is

in there

You must go

He

somewhere.

gipsies, but thare not gipsies.
I say.

You had

you

Go

somewhere between there and York.

BradÂŤ

was placed

in

Thare people

But thare traveling with

there very careful!, or you will not

better travel as a

tramp and overhaul every band

ol

find in October.

After he was taken

we

all

got skeared and he was

left in

my

cair.

mosher did, for I was in enough sin,
and wanted to get out of what I was in. But I am not out of it yet, and
So for God's
I will never be contented until the boy is home again.

I did not want to

kill

him, as

Bill

sake try your best to get him.

His hair

is

his front teeth

cut off close, his skin
is

out.

is

dark from being in the sun, and

This family thinks he

is

my

son, and I told

them

him and to be very careful not to let any body
iave him, never, or deih would be their doom. The family was in
York State when I gave it to them. The head man's name is Gusto,

his

mother wanted

to get

:

A MYSTERY NOT CLEARED
and

heard from him by

I

Ross and you
This what

The

now

my

Mr.

know anything

about

name, but by

you will know who I am.

it

it.

got from Gusto was rote at Bradford, and he said he was

New

going to

to

35/

July or August, I forget which,

letter in

want

1 sign is not

letter I

I

is all I

UP.

way

Hilton, by the

Nelse Boothe.

of York.

Baker that Booth,

told

must be

alias Laurie,

found, and to clear himself of complicity in this

he must put us

way

in the

He

of getting him.

affair,

said he

would do anything required of him to help us in the
case; he did not want to go to England, and would not
go, neither did he want any money; it was all a mystery to him, and he could not understand why he had
been written to about the matter.
Baker,

I

with his

In the presence of

prepared the following personal, and signed

it

initials

Should like

He was

to

W.

have a personal interview with you.

instructed at the

same time

gent search for Booth, and report to

The

in finding him.

to

T. B.

make

me if he

a

dili-

succeeded

publication of the above promptly

brought the following response addressed to Baker:
I seen your notice to-day in Star.
are putting a job up on me.

You

boy where

will find the

can't catch

me

in

detective has put

no

I say,

New

be in York [meaning

come and

Do

to this.

that ends

and by the time you get

as I say

What

You

see you.

no more, so

York, probably].

trap.

you up

I won't

I won't write

it.

this I will

money and you
Some

I got

and you will succeed.

I

have said

is

true, so

help

me

God.

You
to see

can't

me

by bye.

know any more

if

only for to cop me.
I didn't think

the only one

you see me,

You

you would

who knows where he

for I don't

will never see

try that

the following day. Baker told

home

know.

You want

again.

So good-

after I told all.

I

am

Nelse B.

is.

This note was also brought to

On

game

me

me upon its receipt
me that on his way

the evening before he was hailed

by a man and

S

CHARLEY

35

woman, both
"

You

ROSS.

The man

entire strangers to him.

said,

are Mr. Baker, formerly of South Carolina,

lieve.

A person wishes to see you

at tlie

West

I

be-

Phila-

delphia depot to-morrow morning at seven o'clock. Will

you be there ?" Baker replied that he would, and asked
name of the person. The stranger told him he
would recognize the man at once, and refused to anthe

wants to see you, because you were my friend when I
needed one; I determined to tell the Charley Ross
affair to

was

else."
He reiterated what
and told Baker to turn the in-

you, and to no one

said in his letters,

formation to good account in a pecuniary way.

they were conversing the

train

moved

off;

While
the

man

jumped aboard, bade him good bye, saying he was
going where it was useless to look for him. I now
accused Baker of being in collusion with some one in
an attempt to deceive me, which he positively denied.
I required him to give me the address of his friends,
and charged him not to change his residence without
informing me, saying that I should hold him responsible until this matter was wholly cleared up. At this
stage of the case

newspaper

I

learned from a correspondent of a

in another city that

he had information of

the matter, and ask him to suspend

the story,

its

publication for

Although little confidence was placed in
yet it was thought best to request the au-

a few days.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

:

A MYSTERY NOT CLEARED
England

thorities in

London of

police in

I

359

the matter; and

to investigate

without further delay

UP.

informed the commissioner of

him

the case, and asked

to

have

examined.

it

After the publication by the newspapers of the cor-

me

respondence Baker handed

the following letter

which although post-marked and mailed in Philadelphia, October the 8th, is dated New York, October the
9th.

New York,
Now

crazy.

hear,

you have almost

you give

it

God

for

October

you are

to find Gusto,

to Bradford, Eng.,

must be quiet about

go

as I say, or I will

go

for you, sure,

and then

ensure you the boy.

I will

if

I

you go

and make inquiries, you can find him easy. You
it when you find him, which is very easy to do.
I

for I will manage to get him a letter, and if I don't, you
and show him this, this winter he will be about there or
know this, you must keep from Ross and everybody else. Here

have

it fixt,

as I say,

York
is

What made

your chance for getting the boy.

lost

You must now do

away.

dam fool, and Ross is
you had more sense. Se

are a

I tliought

sake don't say anything to any one now, but work for me.

want you

will

Baker : You

9.

in danger.

i

the secret: Gusto Englis

will find him,

if

he see

name

is

this I think

Sam
it

Hurbet, and by

child Boston gave you in

New York

who

he don't know.

I

nab me.

as

Charley Ross

is,

for

have been trying you best

you hunting

for

me.

I

to

want Ross

week, and you can succeed,

this

is

do
to

if

this

Charley Ross," and then

have

ought to
i

say.

kill

dam

his boy.

you do,

I will

:

the

him

tell

you, for you

you, and stop

you Leave next

take this with you, and don't

living sole, but Gusto or Herbert,

name you

him

will be all right, tell

show

it

to

murder you.

a

so

From you know Who.

Beware Baker.

In answer to which the following personal appeared
in the

Ledger of the

Boston.
go.

1

2th

:

Send me an order on Herbert
^

Signed,

to deliver

him

to

me.

I will

B.

This personal brought the following letter, inclosing
the order for the boy, which was received on the 14th,

postmarked Philadelphia

:

CHARLEY

360

ROSS.
I ges all right,

Baker, I seen you notice yesterday.

any more, not one

if

I

want Ross

will hear all about

I

he can*t read, you read

it

it.

When

to him,

he

The order addressed on an
Herbert,"

is

to

Sam

give this other pape to

the reward,
the help.

line, but

i

will not rite

have his boy, and you get

Ilerbet, or gusto.

you

will

get back.

know

all

You may

Nelse Booth.

abot

it.

outside fold to "

Sam

as follows

New York, America, October 13, 1S7 S.â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Sam Hurhet : Give to this
man Baker my little boy, which I gave you to keep for me last October,
I have made
in York State, America.
I have sent him over for him.
up with the old woman, and we all going to live to gither. I have had
a big stake, and I ges we can live all right. If I owe you anything send
me word by Baker and I will fix it. You know who I mean. Little
Charley Sprague,

my

don't detain him.

a

Bake,

son.

Oblige,

ready to come to York Stale, so

is all

Hiram Sprague, your

old friend, Boston.

Efforts were now made to find out if there had been
man answering to the name of Gusto, who is repre-

sented to have been in

South Carolina, and

it

was

found that a gipsey band under the leadership of such
a person had gone from Philadelphia to Savannah a

known in the neighborwe failed to trace him
were made and registers

few years ago, and that he was

hood of George's Station
from that point.

,

;

but

Inquiries

were searched in all the steamship offices in New
York, Baltimore and Philadelphia, whose vessels sail
to Savannah, but failed to discover that he came back
by either of the lines. Having now not only a more
limited area in which to look for the child, but also
the

name

of the person to

he gave him,

London

I

Booth chimed that

as well as to the constabulary in all the rid-

ings of Yorkshire, giving

possessed, and
parties.

whom

again wrote to the Chief of Police in

How

them

asked them

if

all

the information

possible

to trace

we
the

promptly, cheerfully and faithfully the

:

A MYSTERY NOT CLEARED

1

:

UP.

36

England worked in the case is best told byletters I have received, dated Chief

police of

from

extracts

Constable's Office, Leeds.

The Chief

writes as follows:
23th October, i^75'

Sir

:

—I have

to

tograph of your

acknowledge the receipt of your
boy who was

little

letter inclosing

In reply

stolen.

I

have to

pho-

state that

to have the most searching inquiries made
where a clue may possibly be obtained within the borough.
If anything should be heard of him I will telegraph you, and should I

you a copy of the original photograph of my little boy from which the
one I sent you some time ago was taken, after being magnified and

:

A MYSTERY NOT CLEARED
by an

altered

He was

was taken.
from

This was the

a half years old at the time

five years

and four months

old.

did not consider the enlarged photograph perfect;

should be a

little

you, his attention

more closed.
was attracted

it

and two months when he was taken

four years

and now would be

us,

We

363

under instructions from Mrs. Ross.

artist

we had; Charley was two and

only one

UP.

to

excited and open his mouth; and

some

we

mouth

his

now send

In taking the small picture I

which caused him

object,

to

be

did not have that part of his face

altered for fear the artist should lose the general expression of the face.

Of

we

course

expect he would be changed somewhat in his appearance

according to the treatment he has received since he was stolen

we

think his general expression would remain.

mation

to

communicate, except that I fear

nate, like so

many

should

fail

you may be assured

who

resides in

it

Should

it.

I will at

my

had

I receive

in

of

some

As

sort, as

view; and

lest I

to you.
(I think

Mrs. Bar-

your neighborhood, and I think she said she was

acquainted with you or had been to see you in reference to our

Charley.

I

we have

yet

any further information,
it

from a lady

letter

still

infor-

duty to investigate everything

once communicate

Mrs. Ross has had a very kind
clay)

game
letter.

first

to find out the object the parties

of the right thing, I feel

any probability in

that has

my

but

;

have no further

supposed clue will termi-

this

others have, in a confidence

wrote the Commissioner of Police in

been unable

I

little

Should you see her, please give her our warmest thanks.

Thanking you

for the interest

you have manifested

in our behalf,

Christian K. Ross.

I remain yours truly,

Several other letters were received reporting that active efforts

continued to be

jects of their search,

and the

made
final

to discover the ob-

report

is

as follows

Chief Constable's Office, Wakefield, February

Dear

Sir.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

I

had intended writing

might have something
inquiries

have so

far

to

communicate.

to

I

g,

1876.

you before, but had hoped I

much

regret to say that our

been to no purpose ; and notwithstanding the active

cooperation given by the Police of the Northern counties, I have been

unable to find any reliable clue.

me which

It is true that

once or twice information

had hoped might be turned to good account; but on
working out these cases and closely sifting the statements made, we found
reached

I

ourselves without any solid ground to carry us further.

given in America and, indeed, possibly on

this side also,

The

publicity

has been the

means of suggesting the names of Gusto and Herbert, which have been

CHARLEY

3^4

ROSS.

repeated without any real intention to deceive

but I can find no good

;

name

reason to suspect that the first-mentioned

has ever been heard

and the second, tho' of course we find it occurring now and
then, has no individual bearing that we can discover on the question at
issue, as it is a name one would expect to find.
I regret I cannot give
a more hopeful report; but at the same time I beg you will remember
here;

you may

at all times depend upon the fullest assistance from this
and indeed the English Police generally ; and if any further information however trivial is received, I shall be glad if you will inform

that

office

me

Mrs. Barclay does not reside in this neighborhood,

without delay.

but

know

I

her as a most kind-hearted person,

Her

interest Âťn this case.

been most anxious and kind.
the information

filed.

Our

clue should be obtained.

I return all

officers will

am, dear

I

who

has taken a deep

Mrs. Leatham lives here, and has also

sister

Yours

We have

your papers.

remain on the

alert in case

ail

any

sir,

faithfully,

DiwcAN McNeill,
Chief OmstabU^ W, R. Yorkshire,

K. Ross, Esq., Philadelphia, U.

C.

To

S.

A.

the above letter the following rcplv was sent,

dated
Philadelphia, February

Dear

Sir.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Your favor of the 9th

-j,

1876.

with enclosures reached

inst.

me

a

few days ago.
I am very much obliged to you and the police generally of England
who have taken so much interest in tr)'ing to serve me, and am well sat-

isfied if the parties

you have been looking

you would have found some
for

some time

me

;

I

however without

know

now

in

your country

have
wa5 a scheme of some kind to blackmail
were afraid to go on with it on account of the pub-

given to the matter.

before,

had been
I

believe, as I

past, that there

but the parties

licity

after

traces of them.

of nothing just

would thank you

Many

attempts of this kind have been

made

success.

now

you to look after; but
and promptitude with which you

that I can ask

for the cheerfulness

investigated this supposed clue.

The mystery connected with

the continued absence of

my

little

son

remams. I have no reliable information as to what has been done
with him ; whether he still lives or whether he is dead. The knowledge
ol the latter, if it is so, would be a relief to my wife and myself, as this

still

protracted suspeiise

is

very wearing on us.

A MYSTERY NOT CLEARED
Again, accept
of

human

my

suffering ;

UP.

365

thanks for your devotion and interest in the cause

and believe

me

ever

Yours

truly,

Christian K. Ross.

Duncan

One

McNeill, Esq., Chief Constable, W. R. Yorkshire, England,

of the cases to which Mr. McNeill alludes in his

which for a time bade fair to end favorably,
was that the chief constable of the North Riding ascertained that two gipsy wagons, one reported to be
marked " Herbert," and the other " Gusto," were at a
village near Middlesborough, and the gipsies were said
to have with them a child about the same age as our
Charley, who had a genteel appearance, and a complexion very different from that of any of his companions, and who had a striking resemblance to the missing
child.
Particular instructions were immediately issued
last letter,

to every station within the jurisdiction of the constable

Very soon the party was found,
wagon by itself, while the ostensible
parents were selling their wares. Taking him to the
station-house, he was examined by the Superintendent,
who also compared the likeness of Charley Ross with
him, and was satisfied that he was not my son. The
to be

on the look-out.

the child in a

with whom the child was found said
he was their grandchild, and gave the place in which
his father resided.
The father was visited, and by his

man and woman

statement confirmed the authorities that

it

was a case

of mistaken identity on the part of those reporting the
matter.
It was also found that the wagons had not
been marked as represented.

The

publication of this case in the newspapers of

England and Scotland awakened anew the

interest in

CHARLEY

366
Great Britain, and

many

ROSS.

strangers wrote kind letters of

inquiry and sympathy, showing the deep feehng

still

existing there for the recovery of the child, whenever

an occasion

calls

it

A few extracts

forth.

from

letters

received in the correspondence from South Carolina,

which abound

in expression of the liveliest interest

kindest feelings, cannot

tleman

to be of interest.

fail

and

A gen-

George's writes under date of October,

in St.

1875:
Though

in doubt, I

thing in this which

and

his restoration to

be a life-long

have a trembling hope that there

may yet

may be some-

lead to the discovery of your Utile

Charley,

your hearts and arms sound and well, and

satisfaction

should

I

in

any way be able to

ing about such a happy termination to this great trouble

it

would

assist in bring-

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

this

crushing

sorrow, etc.

Can

I

be of service to you in any

not hesitate to

let

sympathy,

The same person
ber 6th:
Let me assure
little Charley is

way whatever

me know either by mail
I am yours very truly,

you,

my

dear

sir,

my

In sincere

M. W. Kenyon.

writes again under date of

not of recent growth.

Do

in this matter ?

or telegraph.

Novem-

interest in the recovery of

your

There are thousands of hearts

throughout our land in sympathy with you, and the joy which would be
felt in

your house could he be found, would send a

thrill in

sympathy

through thousands of other households that you would never know.

Again he
Your

writes,

January 6th, 1876:

letter of the i6th of

cerely thank

you

November, came duly to hand. We sinyour two little boys. The

for the pictures enclosed of

Walter is much admired, but for his
Charley awakens a deeper and more
no little regret that I am unable to add much

bright, intelligent countenance of

great misfortune the picture of

tender interest.

It is

with

to the information already given in regard to this

Booth mystery.

I

you in any way that I could, and can only
deplore my inability. I would be glad to know your opinion now in
regard to this matter, whether you still think it a heartless fabrication or

would most

willingly assist

otherwise, etc.

A MYSTERY NOT CLEARED

We
parties

36/

UP.

never discovered with certainty the object of the

who arranged

was such a person

this heartless

satisfactorily ascertained
letters

I

received

scheme. That there

as Nelse Laurie, ahas Booth,
;

was not

was

but whether he wrote the
certainly found out.

we

usual handwriting, a specimen of which

was pronounced by experts not

His

obtained,

to correspond with the^

writing of the letters addressed to me, and which Baker
said were written
alias Herbert,

As

by Booth.

to the

man

Gusto,

nothing more was learned of him, than

went with his wagons, women and children,
ago to Savannah, Georgia, on one of the
steam vessels running from this port. The only conclusion we could arrive at was, that the whole thing
was gotten up for the purpose of extortion, and whoever devised the plan had either not skill enough to
carry it out, or became alarmed on account of the suspicions which were expressed after the second letter
was received. It however occasioned much labor in
telegraphing and corresponding, before we were satisfied that thore was really nothing reliable in his story.
In no instance which we have investigated have so
many reports of the same child come to us from different towns, as that of a child with a woman, who were

that he

several years

first

made known

to us from

In November, 1875,

I

Thomaston, Connecticut.

received a

letter,

dated Thomas-

which the writer says " There is a woman traveling through the county with a child, evidently not
her own. The woman is described to be of dark complexion, with dark hair and eyes; and the child is about

ton, in

five

:

years old, with light complexion,

full face,

cheeks, light hair, and very large dark eyes.

rosy

Some-

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
CHARLEY

368
times he

is

dressed in

at other times in boy's

girl's,

The woman was

clothing."

ROSS.

said to

tell

different stories

and the writer suspected
description and
photograph of Charley was sent on receipt of this
letter, with a request that the writer would obtain a
picture of the child, and send it to me. By return mail
I received a second letter, saying that the woman and
child had gone away, but would be followed. The next
about herself and the

child,

A

she had the stolen boy with her.

day

Thomas-

received the following telegram, dated

I

ton, Connecticut:
I

have found the

woman and

no doubt your

child;

The

Thomaston was requested

telegraph operator in

to find the person

who

sent the above telegram, and

bring him into the office in that place.
able delay he

I shall re-

child.

Signed.

quire authority to arrest her.

was found, but declined

After considerto give

any

fur-

ther information, or to act in the matter himself, unless

The

he had the proper authority.

was now sent
Send

for the

Mayor, Chief of Police, or

either of them, to the cQice.

have the

following telegram

to the operator:

woman and

This matter

is

Sheriff,

and

invite them, or

so important that

child detained until the matter

we must

thoroughly inves-

is

tigated.

When

the Sheriff

came

to the telegraph office, the

operator was instructed to say to
The

Chief of Police of Philadelphia

this matter

has an important look

;

is

that

thing in

and

if

it,

We

made.

is

if

guilty she must.

the

can

woman

tell in
is

woman and

a very few

child until an in-

moments

if

there

is

any-

innocent she will cheerfully submit, and

The Chief wants

bring the child to the telegraph

that

in the office here, and says that

no harm can come of bringing

the child to the office, and detaining the
vestigation

him

office*

to

know how long

it

will take to

;

:

:

A MYSTERY NOT CLEARED

UP.

369

The
after

Sheriff replied to the above, that he would go
them, and return in about two and half hours.

On

the return of the Sheriff he telegraphed
The woman has gone with the boy I do not think him

the Ross

;

boy; the majority of the people

some say grey; and

the

have seen say the

I

woman,

story in three different places at

She told the same

I think, is honest.

which

Have

I traced her.

written full

Chatfield, Dep.

particulars.

The

child's eyes are blue,

Sheriff.

which came to hand the followand satisfactory account of his investigation, and we supposed the matter was ended.
Not so, however on the same day I received a telegram from Newtown, Connecticut, saying
Sheriff's letter,

ing day, gave a

full

;

I

have the Thomaston

woman and

Answer

child.

quickly.

Bray.

The

question was asked of Mr.

Answer: "Blue, or

color of the child's eyes?"

my

Have

is

the

rather

To which I replied " Release the parties
Charley;" and received the following reply:

grayish."

not

Bray, " What

:

released

but the eyes

woman and boy

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;these

change

ought to be investigated.

Jin

Have

;

description answers to

children.

Woman

written fully.

Charley

all

acted suspiciously f

Bray

Mr. Bray wrote as follows
"While driving between the towns of Oxford and Southbury, I passed

tramp, who had a small boy and on the following day, I met
same woman and child. The boy's face was covered up with a veil;
as I passed them she gave the child a piece of apple, and as the veil was
raised, I noticed the complexion of the boy was light, as was also his
hair; while that of the woman was dark and swarthy.
I found on
arriving at Birmingham that telegrams regarding the Thomaston woman
and boy had been passing, and concluded that the woman and child I

a

woman

;

the

had seen were the same persons I immediately notified our Chief of
Police, and we started and overtook them.
The woman's answers to
our questions are anything but straight. She said she was on her way
to Danbury, Connecticut, to her friends, but had forgotten their names,
;

16*

CHARLEY

370
She

etc.

ances go

boy

is

is

ROSS.

certainly a very suspicious character,

and so

appear-

far as

not the mother of the child, which she claims to be.

is

a bright

little

fellow, I should judge about five years old,

The

and has

eyes of a bluish gray, which might have been blue at one time.

Had

would have had his picture
taken and sent to you ; but if you will write to the Mayor of Danbury, he
will have one taken, and give all other information you desire, as the
woman will probably remain in the vicinity of Danbury for a day or two.
there been a photographer in the town, I

This

is

the

Thomaston child, so that matter
Yours in sympathy,

The people

woman

in all

is settled.

M.

Bray.

P.

the villages through which the

now

passed seemed

to be aroused, as letters

came almost daily from different places, describing the
Although satisfied that the child was not
parties.
Charley, yet feeling a desire to have a picture of the
boy about whom so much excitement had been raised,
I wrote to an officer in Danbury to procure one for me,
and received the following reply, dated
C. K. Ross, Esq.

Danbury, CoNNEcricirr, November 2g, 187^.
letter came to hand last night,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Dear Sir:â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Your

woman and child are here. I have examined the parties pretty well,
and took them to an artist and had their pictures taken, and enclosed
you have one of each. Had I thought for a moment that the child was
the

your dear boy^
tody.
at

I

am

I

would have spared no expense

not positive that this

is

the

in taking them into cussame woman and child that were

Bethel and Newtown, but think they are.

age,

and dressed

decidedly blue.

much

in girl's clothes

pleasure.

he

is

The boy

of the country.

all

the time

Anything

Yours

I

is

large for his

smart and active ; his eyes are

I attended to the matter at once, as I

suspense you are in

all parts

;

when

know

just

how

these^tories reach you from

can do to

assist

you

I will

do with

truly,

C.

H. Crosby, Policeman of Danbury.

The correspondence which ensued

in this case

was

voluminous, and showed the intense interest the people
took in endeavoring to restore our little boy. One instance only can be given.
to Captain Heins, dated

The following note was sent

:

A MYSTERY NOT CLEARED

3/1

UP.

Stratford, Connecticut, November 2^^ iBjS'
Deay Sir: Have you a picture of Charley
Ross, which you can spare ? They seem to think he is about here.
L. H. Russell.
Yours truly,

Wm.

R, Heins, Esq.

—

—

I replied to Mr. Russell's note, sending him a photograph and asking him to let me know what information they had; and received the following answer,
which is so expressive of kind feelings and sympathies,

that I take pleasure in giving

publicity

it

Stratford, Connecticut, November

—

2<p,

—

187s.

Christian K. Ross, Esq. Dear Sir: Yours covering photograph
and description of little Charley, also yours of 27th inst., are at hand.
We have some children in our family of whom we think something,
and ever since the abduction of little Charley our sympathies have
gone out to you in the terrible bereavement; and you may rest assured
that if there

is

anything

restoration of your

little

The woman who
to depart,

is,

we

can do in our small way to aid you in the

one

it

shall

be most cheerfully done.

has been recently arrested in Newtown, and allowed

who

undoubtedly, the same one

passed through here

last

summer with the little one, and who asked for something to eat at our
house. The child played l^p and down on the piazza and seemed happy,
and some little delicacies were given it, and it was noticed by my mother
that it was kept veiled. She spoke of it after their departure, and wished
we had a photograph of Charley Ross, so that we might know how he

The

looked, in the event that he should be discovered about here.

woman

does not live here, and I

am under

from some town on the coast further
habits, I don't

will

make

know

that I could put

inquiry of persons

whom

As

east.

my

the impression she

she

is

hands on her

I think

comes

itinerant in her
just

would be apt

to

now, but I
know, and

report any developments.

This

man

Bray,

who

followed and arrested the

to let her go, if

he thought he had the

hence

doubtful

I think

it

if

If at
to

possibilities will

do

us.

Again he

man

and

if it

However,
is

I

within the

it.

any time we can be of service

command

not the

the child be the missing one.

will try to get a photograph of the child for you,

range of

woman, is

slightest reason to detain her;

Very

to you,

truly yours,

writes, dated

do not hesitate a moment
L. H. Russell.

December

ist,

1875

:

:

CHARLEY

372

—

ROSS.

—

Christian K. Ross. Dear Sir
The woman and
New Haven Alms House. The warden says the

at the

in Guilford, Connecticut

graph of him

if

about six years old.

now

bom

can get a photo-

I

Awaiting your commands,

you wish.

am

I

The

is

;

child are

child was

L. H. KussELL.

yours truly,

father of this child subsequently traced

New

the alms-house in

him to

Haven, and made application

to get possession of him.

Another case which was brought to our
of more than ordinary

interest,

notice, is

because the child has

been rescued from an irresponsible woman, and found
a home with kind and good people who propose to
nurture and train him up as their own child. In September, 187$, I received the following letter from Tennessee
Mr.

:

K. Ross, Washington Lane, Germantown, Pa.

C.

my

import of

letter is

one of sadness

seen a circular in regard to a

Brewster Ross; and
little

there

—^The

have heard or rather

name Charley

boy, by

lost

little

time of this writing with us a

at the

is

We

to us.

boy answering the description exactly, except vaccination.

child was

left

woman who

When

at

my

professed to be his mother, but acted very unlike a mother.

questioned as to

who

she was or where she came from, she gave

very unsatisfactory answers.
I took

child.

him

in

my

Afterwards she walked

attached to him, and will, under no consideration, give

The reward

unless he can be identified by his parents.

many

and

oflf

to search for

your child

;

Yesterday

I

saw the

panied

would have

me

leady to

picture

and

Had

I

circular of

known

me

written you immediately.

further explanations

when

to

Char-

your child in

of the loss of your

This child has accom-

everywhere I went since he has been with

make

him up

but the reward did not prompt

the hands of the sheriff of our county.
child I

the

has induced

take this child, for at that time I had not heard of the long-lost

ley Ross.

left

house and supplied the place of a mother the

Although he has been with us so short a time, we are very

best I could.

much

This

yard gate a month ago by a suspicious-looking

I hear

me

;

from you.

and

I

am

Being in

very needy circumstances, I cannot telegraph to you or send a picture;

but should you desire a picture,

if

you

will forward the

money

I will

;

A MYSTERY NOT CLEARED
send a

To

photograph as soon as one can be taken.

full-sized

truthfully, I

373

UP.

do not want

up; but

to give the child

if

he proves

speak
be the

to

would be glad to see him restored to his grief-stricken
and of course the money would alleviate my circumstances very much but money could not take him if he is not .the

lost

Charley,

parents.

I

I

am

poor,

As

I

;

lost child.

deem

this sufficient at this time, I will close.

Yours

To

Mrs.

truly,

.

asking for further informa-

this letter I replied,

and that a picture be sent me as soon as
The next letter I received was as

tion,

it

be taken.

could

follows,

dated Tennessee, October, 1875:

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

Mr. C, K. Ross. Dear Sir : In reply to your letter of the 8th inst.
would say that I had started to have a photograph taken when your
But the sheriff has taken the advantage of me, and
letter reached me.
doubtless forwarded you a picture with a letter and probably a newspaper publication, which I am and was opposed to his doing. It was
I

my
It

when

intention

the child in

I wrote to

my hands was

was not money

that

you

to fully investigate the matter,

him

yours, to restore

induced

me

to write

;

and

if

to the aggrieved parents.

but the excitement which

boy John Wilkins, as we
Charley Ross, has grown to a considerable pitch, so much
so that I am almost afraid some one will attempt to take him from me.
But the man who comes to take him by force must be doubly protected,

little John Wilkins.
and with the hope that you may find your
.
Mrs.
Yours most respectfully,

best wishes to you

treasure, 1 close.

On

I will not

and wish

receipt of the picture I wrote the lady that the

was a bright-looking
Charley; but I was glad
child

charge of those

who were

but not our

fellow,

little

know he was now

to

interested in

in

him and whose

purposes were to take good care of him ; and received
the following reply to

Mr.
and

C.

K. Ross.

readily give

—Dear Sir:—

my consent

glad that you wish to keep
I think every

very bright

one

little

my letter

else

that you can
it

;

j

keep the picture

my sympathy

ought to

fellow

Tennessee, November ij, 1874,
I hasten to reply to yours of 27th ult.,

You speak

feel as I do.

he certainly

is

you.

I sent

so great for this

is

I

am

waif,

little

of his being a

an extraordinary child, having

He has no doubt been
and nurtured by doating parents. It is not possible the woman
who left him with me taught him what he knows he can tell three letHe says he
ters of the alphabet, says he learned them on plank fences.
the best disposition of any child I ever saw.
trained

;

has seen steam

cars,

in the woods.

He has

but does not

neat habits; and, really, I think

do the best
educate him

I

can for him

the picture
neither

from you
joice

if

;

him a

my

little

only fear

as well as I could wish, but

so long as I live.

him
had

know how far from

a beautiful skin and

If ever your

and

tell

him

that

home nor friends.
your little Charley

more with you than

myself.

little
it is

I
is

hair,

jewel.

is

here

that I

I

am

may

no opportunity

lOved

;

says he slept

very sweet manners and

Charley

determined to

not be able to

will
is

be neglected

restored,

the picture of a poor

little

show

boy

who

would be exceedingly glad to hear
restored to you, for no one would reThanks for the compliment in regard

to the kindness extended to the poor

little

waif committed by chance to

my care.
I close

by saying

am

that I

Wilkins with me, but sorry
of

little

Charley's

I

too glad to be able to keep

little

parents.
I

am

John

could not relieve the long-burthened hearts

yours respectfully,

Mrs.

—

A MYSTERY NOT CLEARED

375

UP.

The excitement in the neighborhood where this child
was discovered was very great; persons went many
miles to see him, when it became known that he was
supposed to be the missing child, thus showing the interest which is felt for the recovery of the kidnapped
child in that far distant State.

The

Nova

case of a child found in the Province of

now be

Ross, will

be Charley

Possessions, claimed to

Scotia, British

given.

ceived the following

letter,

Early in March, 1875,
dated

I re-

Aylesford, Nova Scotia, February 2ph, i8yS'

Mr. Ross.

—My Dear Sir —With regard
:

a small boy in

this

county with a

to

woman who

your

lost child, there is

pretends to

tell fortunes.

The child is about four and a half years old, very bright, and says his
name is Charley Ross. They came from the United States in August
or
is

of last September.

first

Now

your son.

give

me

authority,

I

have every reason to believe that the child
me any information about the boy, and

can you give

and

I will find out all about

soon as I hear from you.

I

have the honor

to

him, and advise you as

be your friend

David Corbin.

To

and sent the writer a full
description of Charley, with a photograph, and asked

him
eyes.

this letter I replied,

to note very particularly the color of the child's
I

him a number of questions

also gave

to ask

the child, with a request that as soon as he was able

he should write

me

that he found out.

—

I

everything connected with the case

His next

letter is

dated—

Aylesford, Nova Scotia, March

—

12, 187J.

Mr. C. K. Ross. Dear Sir: Since I last wrote you about the boy
Charley Ross, I called personally and made an investigation, and the
following

is

The boy

a correct statement of what I learned
is

perfect in every respect, of a

medium

height, has well-

formed eyes, color between hazel and blue, hair somewhat dark.

woman who

has him says that his hair became darker since

summer, and

his eyes lighter.

The

child has a

full,

round

The
last

fat face,

CHARLEY

376

short chin with a noticeable dimple, a

cowlick on the

left

ROSS.

plump dimpled hand and a

slight

side of his forehead, with the hair pointing upward,

and inclined towards the left
you sent me in some respects.
here from the United States,

and does not resemble the likeness

ear,

The people who have

first

New

stopping in

the child

Brunswick.

I

came
have

been secretly watching their movements for three months, and the supposed mother intends bringing the child to my house for a fortnight, and
will then look for the

which

hair,

mark on

I clipped a little lock of his

his arm.

inclosed.

is

I will spare no pains, and with the blessing of God will do all I can,
and forward information and particulars as fast as I can obtain them.

Yours very

David Corbin.

truly,

Again on the 23d of March he

—

writes:

—

Mr. C. K. Ross. Dear Sir: Your letter of 17th
The boy was brought to my house yesterday. I had

inst. just

received.

a photographer on

hand and got a poor picture of the child, which I inclose -to you. I will
get a better picture in a day or two.
The boy is smart, talks plainly,
has a small neck and very light ej'ebrows. He tells my children that

Charley

Ross's father

is

coming

him

after

advantage of every opportunity to find out

and
ing

send you another likeness.

will then

know how

to

do

it.

Please

let

me know

in the spring.

all
I

I will take

can by Saturday's mail,

I

have to act quietly, but

your impressions

after receiv-

this.

I forgot to

mention that when the child was

Scotia his hair
present.

To

was long and curly, and much
Yours truly,

first

Nova

David Corbin.

this letter I replied that the child at Aylesford

my

was not

little

boy, as the picture which

did not bear the slightest resemblance to

my

fore

brought to

lighter in color than at

letter

received

I

him

;

but be-

reached Mr. Corbin, he wrote again as

follows, dated

Mr.

C

yours; the

K. Ross.

— Dear Sir:—

woman who

on his head, and she or
says

it

is

March ji,
I

have no doubt of

him told me there
some one else will get

has

only the boy's face that will get

and when

I talk to

him about home he

it.

I

is
it

iSyj.

this child

being

a great sum of money
before long; but she

have him here with me,

puts his

arm over

his face

and

:

A MYSTERY NOT CLEARED
will not answer.

asked him

I

He

he would.

said

told

my

if

he would

New

St. John's,

boy may be taken away, and should

Yours
P. S.

—The child

you could see him face

On

receiving

that the child

tell

the

Brunswick.
like to

names of any of

I

am

know your

his

Maine,

as far as Portland,

fearful lest the

decision ere long.

David Corbin.

truly,

home.

do wish

I

D. C.

to face.

my

is

he

like to see his father;

drilled so as to forget all about

is

3/7

daughter he had cousins whose names

were Joe, George and Frank, but would not
brothers.
I have traced these people back
thence to Eastport,

UP.

which

letter in

I state

our decision

not our Charley, Mr. Corbin writes as

follows

Mr.

C.

you say

K. Ross.

Aylesford, Nova Scotia, April ph, iSysI received yours of a late date, in which

—Dear Sir:—

stronger

is

my

and he says
is

he

;

belief that

he

is

that if there ever

he says,

your boy.

him; and with regard

was a Charley Ross

graph you sent

mouth a

like

him.

me

little

is

The woman who

then.

I

He

me

the

and

run at

let

not

amount

know

to any-

change from a dark hazel

to

furthermore says that the photo-

an exact likeness of the boy when he stands with

open; but a

full face

view

has the child

of going back to the States in

money

city,

own mother would

children's eyes to

a light blue inside of one year.

with

stolen, that this child

to the color of the eyes, that don't

known

thing, for he has

is

have called in a physician,

I

a child should be taken from a

if

large in the country for nine months, his

his

Every day

that the child's eyes are too light for your son, etc.

throws more light on the subject, and the more the boy

May, and

is

it

does not look so

becoming uneasy, and

says she will get a large

much
talks

sum

of

heard her say to the boy, when alone with him, that she

would leave him, "and then Ross can get you, I've had you long enough."
If this don't prove to be your boy I will not charge you one cent, only
good will.
I have the honor to be yours truly,
David Corbin.

Before the above letter reached

tograph was sent

who had
to

me

also heard of this child.

my family for

sively that

we

all

me

the second pho-

through the Pinkerton agency,

inspection,

I

After submitting

it

wrote Mr. Corbin conclu-

decided the child was not our missing

CHARLEY

378

ROSS.

boy, and supposed the matter was ended; but subsequently the mayor received a letter repeating what had
been written me, and insisting that some one should be
be sent to Aylesford who would know Charley Ross,
as the writer

was

fully satisfied that

he had possession

was not

and had evidently

of him.

The

child certainly

been schooled by the

ours,

woman who had

Charley Ross, and

to call himself

to

charge of him

answer a few

questions correctly, learned from circulars, with the

expectation of getting something from the persons

who

might become interested in him.
Although popular excitement in the case has very
very much subsided, because of the length of time

which has elapsed since the abduction, yet scarcely a

week passes without our

receiving reports of children

in different sections of the

to be our missing boy,

A very recent

country

who

and which require

are supposed
investigation.

case was brought to our notice, which,

from the far-distant territory

in

which the child was

found, and the persistent efforts of the gentlemen

followed the

more than

On

woman

who

having him in charge, deserve

a passing notice.

the 8th of April, 1876, I received the following

telegram, dated
McAllister, Indian Territory.

What

is

the full amount of reward offered for

Charley ?

Answer.

Signed,

On

.

inquiry at the office of the Western Union Tele-

graph Company

I

learned that McAllister was a village

of the Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory, about twentyfive

hundred miles distant from

this city; yet the

man-

A MYSTERY NOT CLEARED
ager kindly

made up

3/9

UP.

a circuit and put

me

in direct

My answer to the
communication with the place.
telegram was "Five thousand dollars." They replied,
"We think we have Charley here; come quickly.
This dispatch was received late Saturday
Answer."
night.
The next day, Sunday, a conversation was
held, which resulted in learning that the child had dark
blue eyes, answered the description of Charley Ross
in

every respect, called himself Charley Ross,

al-

though he had another name; he had been used very
hard, having travelled three hundred miles on the
same horse with the woman who had charge of him.
I replied that if they were sure his eyes were blue, he
was not my child, and requested them to send me a
picture of him.
The next day I received a telegram,
saying that his eyes were dark gray. I now requested
that a

woman who

could distinguish colors be called

She decided they
were brown gray, or dark gray. Being as uncertain
now as before, I asked the child several simple questions, to none of which did he give correct answers.
into the office, to look at his eyes.

I

then received a message saying that there was no

the place to take a picture, and telegraphed
back that I did not think he was Charley, and did not
feel warranted in taking so long a trip without more

artist in

stated that the woman and
and would be held until a letwhich I should reply by telegraph.

definite information.

They

child were under arrest,
ter reached

The

me, to

letter is as follows

:

McAllister, Choctaw Nation,

Mr.

C.

K. Ross.

woman who

I.

T., April 8, 1876.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Dear Sir â&#x20AC;&#x201D;We have now in charge a very shrewd
:

has been travelling from place to place, and has with her a

boy, apparently five years old.

Sometimes he

is

dressed as a boy, at

.

CHARLEY

380
other times as a

We have seen your description of Charley, and
him. We thought there was a large reward

girl.

very confident

feel

ROSS.

we have

and have put ourselves to great trouble to secure him and his
There is a man in company who has lately joined them.
Charley has the cowlick and the vaccinnaiion mark on his arm. He

offered,

keeper.

was asked

this

morning what was

we

his

name ?

He

said,

Hiram.

"Charley Ross."
woman and man both

We

What

to guard.

come quickly; come prepared
we have him here.

If

to fix all up,

to satisfy yourself,

are very confident

**

We are here

replied

and have the

in a strange place,

you wish
as

He

name have you ?"

other

are yours truly,

——^—

Signed,

Expecting a letter of a later date I did not reply to
the above, and the next day received the following,
dated McAllister,

I.

T.:

—

—

Mr. C. K. Ross. Dear Sir:
wires we have just had with you,
comrade wrote

last

we have

I

now

is

no

is

Charley

artist

here.

saw

;

TO, 1876.

through the

My

more minutely.

boy here to-day to

I will say to

A woman

Ross.

native town in Texas, 1st of January last,

school

write

I brought the little

Saturday.

have his likeness; but there
believe the child

April
^Aftcr the conversation

and pretended

to

you

I verily

came

to

my

be hunting a

but failing in that she went about twelve miles west, where I

this boy.

He had

long, flaxen curly hair,

which hung nearly

to his

shoulders in ringlets.

About a month ago a picture of Charley
and

in

an instant

I

cair.e into

recognized the resemblance.

my possession,

I also sent the picture

who had seen the child here, and she also
was the likeness of the child here, without any person calling her attention to it. The woman with whom the boy is, is very bad,
although intelligent. She claims to have l3,ooo in a bank in Louisiana.
About three weeks ago she shot a man in the head, was arrested, but
escaped. We have pursued her hundreds of miles on horseback, and
are pretty well worn out, as you may judge, and have spent considerable
to a very intelligent lady

remarked

money.

it

We

reward offered

have frequently seen that there was ^20,000 or more
for the child.

you allow

I verily believe if

pass,

you

When

will never

this opportunity to

recover your son to

have another of getting him.

I asked his

name he

said

Charley Ross

;

and

I well

know

1

A MYSTERY NOT CLEARED

UP.

38

Sie name of Ross had not been mentioned to him.
His recollection of
two years ago is very faint, and he has had rough treatment. He was
carried by the woman 250 miles on horseback, in cold bad weather,
camping out with nothing but the saddle blankets of the horse to cover

We know

them.

have no money

True

not what to do.

to

Are a

spend without a

in expectation of a large

it is

fair

home and

great distance fiom

prospect of

its

being returned.

reward that we undertook the jour-

ney.

Some

persons say the child's eyes are hazel, others dark gray

;

but

we

make any difference. Every person
says he is the Charley Ross.
I expect we shall start for home in the
morning. My address is Texas. If you come on, come to Texas to

think the color of the eyes does not

my

Signed,

address.

To

.

this letter I replied as follows, dated Philadelphia,

April 15, 1876:
Messrs.
and also the
In reply

I

.

— Gentlemen —Your favor of the 8th

letter of

:

would say

am

1

am

hand,

sorry you have been unable to get a picture

of the child you suppose to be
I

inst. is to

a few days earlier date.

my

little

You

son.

will understand

why

so skeptical about any stranger being able from a woodcut to iden-

when I tell you that I have already in different ways
up about three hundred children, and in most of these cases persons who reported them were well assured they were right ; but of course
they were mistaken.
tify

the child,

traced

I

am

my little boy's eyes are a decided brown, as are the
my children, and as they grow older they become y darker in
And oculists, of whom I have inquired, say there is no way by
satisfied that

eyes of all
color.

which the
Again,
this

iris

I

can be changed in color.

cannot see what connection there could possibly be between

woman and

the people

these persons were killed

who

actually stole

December

14,

my

little

1874; and

boy.

how

a

We know
woman who

you say has been wandering about the Southern country should have had
any acquaintance with a couple of river thieves who belonged to New

York

I

cannot see, yet

Ross.

it

might be

—but

it is

almost impossible.

not an unusual thing for children to call themselves

It is

I

children

CHARLEY

have a number of instances of the kind, and have found several

who answered some

incredible

:

yet they

questions correctly, which

were not mine.

seemed almost

;

CHARLEY

382

ROSS.

I confess I do not feel warranted in incuning the expense of going
after this child without more definite information.
means have been exhausted long since everything has been fully
investigated ; but if I felt that there was a possible chance that he was

South to look

My

my

;

little

boy

make any

I should

cular with photograph,

sacrifice to see

and thanking you

in the matter,

am

I

I inclose a cir-

him.

for the interest

you have taken

respectfully yours,

Christian K. Ross.

On

the 13th of April the following letter was written

at

Stonewall, Chickasaw Nation.

Mr.

K. Ross.

C.

—Sir:—^We have

from McAllister, on our way

more

direct

to

just arrived here, eighty miles

We are going theie to be in
We are now thoroughly convinced

Sherman.

communication with you.

we have Charley Brewster Ross. While on
woman has told us the whole" story. She says the

way

our

child

is

here the
not hers;

but he was placed in her hands about one year ago, with the understand-

ing that the three

men who gave

her the child would place in a bank in

there was present at the time
;
was made three other persons (names given) that this boy
is Charley Ross.
We will send you a picture of both the woman and
child as soon as we can get them taken in Sherman.
But we are satis-

Louisiana $3,000, subject to her order

the bargain

fied that

;

nothing more than a general outline of him will resemble

Charley,

for the reason that

and wind, having made a long
His face

barefooted.

and

a week.

for

savage country.

coming

at

trip, until

scarred

his hair cut very badly.

washed
this

is

he has been greatly exposed in sun, rain

we found him bareheaded and

—the woman

says he

fell

His face looks as though

it

on hot ashes

had not been

We are taking all the care of him we possibly can in
We do think the facts already given you justify your

once to Sherman to see

this boy,

and bring your wife with

we think you may have difficulty in recognizing your own child.
We know if you was as well satisfied as we are that this is Charley,
you would not delay a moment in coming.
It will only cost you
you ;

for

one or two hundred dollars and six or seven days time to come
man, and we have spent over that largely, besides being subject
privations, dangers, hunger, etc., to say nothing of the horses

rode down.

We

are

now

feeding for the

first

time in

to Sher-

many
we have
to

tliirty-six

hours,

having travelled that long time without seeing a house. We were afraid
to travel on the railroad for fear of a mob.
If you write, jfost to Sher-

man, Texas, where we

will remain until this thing

is

terminated.

But

A MYSTERY NOT CLEARED
we do hope you will not delay one moment
from you soon, we are very respectfully,

UP.

383
Hoping

in coming.

to

hear

Yours,

In this

.

the writer refers to two

letter

Congress from Texas, and a merchant

On

Texas.

the 25 th of April,

I

members of
Sherman,

in

received another letter

enclosing the pictures of both the

woman and

child,

and

telegraphed immediately to Sherman that the boy was

not

my

The

Charley.

picture of this child

followed for so long a distance, and

who

who was

evidently was

woman not his mother or proper guarand about whom such strong assertions were
made that he was my little boy, is here given. I also
wrote to the gentlemen on the 25th of April as follows:
charge of a

in

dian,

Gentlemen.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

I telegraphed

persistently followed,
I also received

you to-day

and whose picture

that the child

I received, is not

you have so

my

little

boy.

your favor of April 13th, and delayed writing until the

photograph came

to

hand.

taken in identity that I

am

I

have already found so many persons mis-

ready to believe there

is

scarcely one chance

would be able from a picture to identify the child ; and were I to undertake to go or send to examine onefourth of the children who are reported to me in bad hands or astray, I
should require a strong bank upon which to draw for funds, and then
out of a thousand that any stranger

would be kept on the go

all

the time.

I

am

therefore compelled to try

and then decide what is best to be done.
To-day I have a child reported in Kansas as mine certainly, and a few
days ago another one in Texas ; a day or two ago one in New York, and

first

to get all the facts I can,

a short time since one in
I

would have
I trust that

to

some one

rowing suspense.

am

all.

many

and thus end

this

long and har-

thanks,

yours truly.

Christian K. Ross.

here relate a pleasant incident showing the tact

used by two

ladies,

6nd out whether
spring a

thus you can see the great difficulty

will yet be right,

"With
I

I will

Germany ;

respond in person to

man

(who thought they had Charley,) to
Last
were right.

their suspicions

with a child, professing to be from

New

CHARLEY

384
York, arrived
ing-house.

in this city

ROSS.

and stopped at a private board-

After remaining a few days, he said he was

New York,

and asked the privihe returned, which
would be within two days. Not coming back at the
specified time, the persons in the house suspected he
had left the child with the intention of abandoning him,
and thought he resembled the pictures which they had
seen of Charley Ross. The circumstance was reported
to me, and a member of the family went to see the child,
who decided that he was not our little boy. The child
remained with the family about a month, and was then
placed in one of the homes for friendless children, the
matron being informed at the time that he was not our
little boy.
After he had been in the Home a short time
two ladies visiting the institution, observing a striking
likeness to Charley's photograph, became impressed
with the idea that we might have been mistaken in his
identity, and without saying where they intended going,
called unexpectedly to

lege of leaving his

little

boy

until

obtained permission to take the child out of the
tution for a few hours.

Taking him

to

my

insti-

residence

they turned him loose on the lawn, keeping themselves
concealed outside the place in such a position as to observe the child's movements.

The little fellow, as though familiar with the place,
went directly on the porch, mounted the velocipede, and
went whirling around with all the rapidity he could give
it.
Very soon Walter, who was near by, saw the boy,
and always ready for a good time, joined the strange
child, and very soon they were as familiar as though
they had known each other all their lives. The ladies
who were watching all these actions were highly de-

Child Found in the Choctaw Nation.

A MYSTERY NOT CLEARED
lighted,

and began to think and

UP.

feel that

385

by

their tact

they had surely discovered the real Charley Ross.

My wife hearing the voices of children on the lawn, and
knowing Walter had been alone, looked out of the nursery window to see who was with him, and at a glance
saw the child about the size of Charley, with light hair,
curled as his used to be. The impression flashed across
her mind that he was her own dear little boy, and for
the moment she was completely unnerved, and seemed
rooted to the spot on which she stood, without power to
move a single muscle but on looking at him again she
discovered her mistake, and with trembling steps went
to the children, and asked Walter whose little boy was
with him. He said he didn't know, he came to him
and wanted to play, and they were having a nice time.
The ladies who had brought the child now appeared,
and said they adopted the plan of letting the child go
on the lawn to see if by his actions he would, show any
knowledge of the place; and they confessed they were
greatly encouraged to believe they had brought home
;

our long missing

little

boy, after seeing the seeming

familiarity of the child with everything

he saw, and the

readiness with which Walter joined in his play.

They

went up on the lawn at once, found the velocipede on the porch, and without hesitation began to
make it go until Walter came to him, and without any
restraint they both played with different things until
spoken to by Walter's mother. The ladies took the child
away, after being told that he was not our Charley;
feeling satisfied, however, with the effort they had made
to restore a darling child to the embrace of his mother.
Many other cases of interest have occurred during
said he

17

:

CHARLEY

386

this protracted search for

ROSS.

our

httle

boy, of which de-

tailed accounts cannot be given without encroaching

much on the prescribed hmits of this volume.
Enough have already been given to show the interest

too

which has been awakened to restore the child, and which
has not been confined to the boundaries of our country.

The number of

children reported to us

been traced, and of

whom we

nearly three hundred.
up, both here and in

Many others have been
New York, of whom no

looked
record

This number does not include the cases

was made.

the Pinkerton agency investigated, of which

As

account.

who have

have a record, reaches

a matter of interest,

I

I

have no

give the States and

countries where children have been looked after, with

the

number

in

each

Pennsylvania

49

Colorado

New York
New Jersey

42

Wisconsin

2

28

Vermont

2

Illinois

15

Oregon

2

Michigan

12

California

5

Massachusetts

12

Delaware

2

Ohio

II

Minnesota

2

Indiana

10

Texas

Iowa

10

Georgia

7

Missouri

7

Maine

Maryland

6

Florida

Louisiana

Tennessee

6

West Virginia

4

Indian Territory

Virginia

3

Nova

3

Cuba

Hampshire

Kansas

,

Kentucky
District of

Columbia

.

2

North Carolina

Connecticut

New

.â&#x20AC;&#x17E;.

Scotia

3

Canada

3

Scotland

3

Germany

10

A MYSTERY NOT CLEARED

38/

UP.

be seen by this list what a vast extent of terrihas been necessary to cover by investigations,

It will

tory

it

whenever a child has been reported who was thought
to be Charley Ross; and as maybe imagined from the
letters which have been given in the few cases that are
mentioned in detail, the correspondence has been very
great; in almost every case many letters were received
and answered before a final conclusion could be reached.After all the means afforded by the telegraph and correspondence
often

failed to satisfy us, a

accompanied by a police

member of the family,

officer,

into cases, so as to leave nothing

.in

went to examine
it was

doubt when

possible to be certain.

Our
child

general plan of investigating the case of any

who

we can

is

reported to us,

is

to find out as nearly as

his age, the color of his eyes, the circumstances

which he may be found, and to ask the child himself,
if we can reach him by telegraph, a few questions about
things connected with the home of Charley, which we
think he will never forget. If there remains any doubt
after these questions have been asked, we then try to
in

get a picture of the child, or send personally to see him.

The

question has frequently been asked, whether out of

number of children which have been looked
up during this search we have found any who have been
really kidnapped ?
We have not found any who have
been taken and held for a ransom, and but two instances in which children have been stolen.
Of these one
was the boy mentioned in a previous chapter, as taken
from his home by two strolling vagabonds, and trained

the large

to be a beggar, and restored from Chester,
his parents; the other child

Illinois,

to

was a son of Professor

CHARLEY

388

Leib, of St. Paul, Minnesota,

ROSS.

who was

stolen about four

years ago, but for what object never was ascertained,
as nothing has ever been heard of

him

since he

was

taken away.

The

and whose history we
who have been abandoned by their parents. Sometimes the father, at other
times the mother, would leave a child at a place or
house, either to board or to be temporarily cared for,
and never return for him. Many children scattered
over the country, who have been taken out of different
charitable institutions in the cities, have been reported
to us in our searches; sometimes by the persons themselves, who have come into possession of them, at other
times by their neighbors, who could not account for a
strange child being brought among them, and not stopping to inquire into the matter, concluded that he might
be the missing boy. Children of a fair complexion
found with gipsies and other wandering people we are
sure to hear of Illegitimate children who have been
secreted naturally cause conjecture and in other cases,
where there has been disagreement between parents,
either one of whom taking away a little boy into a
children

we have

traced,

could find out, have been those

;

strange town, the efforts

made

to conceal the child

so as to prevent the other parent finding him, would

awaken the suspicion of some one who would report it
Only one case has come under our notice of a
child having been taken through personal revenge, and
we have had two instances in which children have been
put on railroad cars by inhuman persons to be cared for
by conductors of the trains. We have also had a few
instances reported by managers of charitable institutions,
to us.

A MYSTERY NOT CLEARED

when they have thought a

UP.

389

child placed in the institu-

tion bore a resemblance to the pictures of

Charley, and

they could not get a satisfactory account of the child's
parentage.

Children of

two years and twelve
notice.

It will

all sizes,

years, have

and of ages between
been brought to our

be perceived by the number of States

and countries from which children have been reported,
either as astray or in the possession of persons

who

how widely our loss has been
and how anxiously kind-hearted people have
hoped that in the face of a neglected child they had
seen, might be traced the features of little Charley
rested under suspicion,

advertised,

Ross.

May God

bless all such,

our sympathy

for

and may they never need

themselves in a like

trial.

CHAPTER

XIIi;

TRIAL OF WESTERVELT. THEORIES, AND CONCLUSION OF
NARRATIVE.
iiO

enable the reader of this narrative more thor-

oughly to understand the case of the abduction
of

my

son, a sketch of the career of

Mosher

and Douglas, with some notice of their crimes and
characteristics, and of their peculiar kind of work, is
necessary. The first of these men combined the genius
of a skilled mechanic with the qualities of a daring burglar.
He was possessed of rare ability and prudence
in originating and marking out his schemes, and was
not wanting in consummate boldness in their execution.
Born in Connecticut, in early manhood he removed to
New York, where for a time he pursued the occupation
of a ship carpenter. Soon, however, he drifted into
lawlessness and crime, and adopted the profession of a
river thief.

He drew

around him a desperate band of shore

in the annals of crime in New York,
and soon became their leader. In 1 857, he was arrested
and charged with a daring robbery on the East river,
but was discharged because the captain of the vessel
was so seriously injured by one of the robbers as to be
unable to identify any of them. At another time he
was tried and found guilty of a robbeiy, and imprisoned
in Sing Sing, but was released before the expiration ot

pirates well

known

his sentence.
(390)

1

TRIAL OF WESTERVELT.

As Mosher grew

older,

39

he gradually abandoned the

dangerous practice of robbing vessels along the

and adopted a

less

came a burglar

river,

hazardous branch of crime, and be-

as well as a thief

For years he suc-

broke into houses along the water courses,

cessfully

which he approached by means of a small boat.
After this manner he committed many depredations
on the shores of Long Island and New Jersey, loading
his booty into his little craft, and sailing direct for the
city of New York, where the stolen property was placed
beyond the reach of recovery. If pursued, he would
run into some one of the
all

well

known

many

places of concealment,

to him, hide the goods,

ago he was

and await an

A few

opportunity to carry them off in safety.

joined in his nefarious business

by

a

years

young

man named Joseph Douglas, who, although much
younger, proved to be a suitable companion in his predatory excursions.

Between these two men there grew

a close intimacy, and they seem to have been partners
in all their
It

subsequent crimes.

was during one of these

piratical expeditions

about

four years ago, they robbed a country store in

New

which Mosher was

Red

and
under the name of Johnson sent to Monmouth county
Thence he soon made
jail, in Freehold, to await trial.
his escape so successfully that all trace of him was lost
by the authorities. At this time he came to Philadelphia, and assuming the names of Henderson and Hendricks, was soon joined by Douglas, who, taking the
Bank,

name of

Jersey, for

Clark, lived with

Charley.

While

him

in this city

the business of peddling,

and

until the

arrested,

kidnapping of

they followed nominally

traveled with a horse and

CHARLEY

392

wagon through
articles,

ROSS.

the surrounding country selling small

often extending these trips into the State of

Delaware and as far south as Baltimore.
While they remained in this city no criminal charges
were ever brought against either of them, nor were they
known to our police as criminals. Whatever depredations they committed were done away from the city and
the stolen property brought here to be disposed of.
This short review of the career of these bad men is

enough

to

show

that for long years they

were familiar

with crime, and were prepared to engage in anything
that promised a large reward.

Finding nothing that pro-

more surely than the kidnapping of a
little child and holding him for the payment of a large
ransom, they became pioneers in a most atrocious
crime, and which was hitherto unknown in this country.
The plan adopted by the abductors of Charley
showed a determined purpose from the outset to prove
mised that

result

whenever in the future they stole a
would never give him up without a large
ransom, which should be paid them in a manner enThis policy obliged them to
tirely safe to themselves.
adopt measures of more than ordinary caution for their
own protection, while at the same time they were required to provide means by which they would secure

to every one, that
child they

the money.

Thus by

rigidly holding the

own

child as the price of their

life

of the

security, as well as for

the payment of the money, they demonstrated that they

would

own

settle

terms.

such

affairs in their

This was done

timidate, but also to

show

in

own way and on

my

their

case, not only to in-

to other parents of children

that might afterwards be stolen the necessity of being

TRIAL OF WESTERVELT.

393

prompt to make speedy settlement on any terms dictated
by the thieves, and at the same time to keep them in a
condition of terror until a settlement should be made.

This inexorable policy, as set forth by the writer of
the

shows how

letters,

essential

it

was

that but few per-

sons should be taken into the plot, and

bound

how

necessary

by the
Hence in one of the
" We are sworn and blood-bound unto
letters it is said
death to never give each other awayT The necessity of
the case in the judgment of Mosher required such ex-

that those few should be

to each other

Strongest ties and inducements.
:

ceeding secrecy that he, the chief conspirator in the
abduction, by

whose

whom

direction

it

the plot was conceived and under

was being worked

guilty of crime,

would be

fatal to that

so great a

needed to
It
first

out, permitted

He had

long been
and had learned by experience that it

himself to have but few confidants.

secrecy exacted in a case involving

risk, to confide in

assist in carrying

more than were

positively

out his plans.

was supposed when Mosher and Douglas were
suspected of being the kidnappers, that they had

accomplices

in fact in one of the letters it is stated,
There are four of us." So that after they were killed,
it became necessary to change the plan of the search
;

"

for the child,

which, while they lived, consisted chiefly

in efforts to secure the

men

themselves, and thus reach

the place in which they had concealed the child.
their death persons with

looked up,

in

whom

After

they were intimate were

the expectation that possibly through

them information might be obtained which would clear
up the mystery. As stated in a previous chapter, among
the first of these persons examined was William Wes17*

CHARLEY

394
tervelt,

ROSS.

brother of Mosher's wife.

This Westervelt was

known to be an associate of both the thieves, and early
in August, 1874, was suspected of being concerned in
the abduction.

The New York

authorities faihng, after

a search of about two weeks, to find the suspected

engaged Westervelt to aid in accomplishing^
it was very strongly
suspected that while professing to help the police he
was really protecting the kidnappers, and by his duplicity enabling them to keep out of the way of the detectives.
The statements extracted from him, together
with the testimony of others who knew he was in communication with Mosher and Douglas while in the employ of the police authorities, satisfied District Attorney
Furman Sheppard, of this city, that there was good cause
for an indictment against him; and a true bill having
been found, he was tried in September, 1875, for abductcriminals,

their arrest; but after their death

ing, detaining

for the

and concealing Charles Brewster Ross,

purpose of extorting money from his parents, and

for conspiring to

ment contained

commit these

acts.

The

bill

of indict-

two of which covered the abduction and concealment of the child, and
five counts,

the

first

the last three the element of conspiracy to abduct, con-

and to extort money by threatening letters.
prisoner was defended by two attorneys, and the
case for the Commonwealth was conducted by Furman
ceal,

The

Sheppard, the District Attorney, aided by Mr. Henry S.
Hagert, his assistant,

Mr. Hagert,

in his

opening address to the court,

referred to the crime in the following language

:

" In

July, 1874, the citizens of Philadelphia were startled at

the intelligence that an atrocious crime had been com-

TRIAL OF WESTERVELT.

39$

mitted in their midst, one which to the criminal annals

of the city prior to that time had been unknown.

The

and wide over the
country.
In the far west, in the east, in the north, and
south in large cities, in small hamlets, by the wayside, this story was talked of, and carried with it sympathy and regret. The community was aroused, and
every man and woman became, as it were, detectives.
I need not say that that crime was the abduction of
intelligence of that crime spread far

;

Charles Brewster Ross."

After adverting to the

by which it
was expected to connect the prisoner with the crime,
he closed his remarks as follows " There were more
than Mosher and Douglas involved in this business;
fact of the abduction,

and

to the testimony

:

men who took care of the boy, who moved
him from place to place, who, when messages were sent
telling them of approaching danger, changed the quarthere were

ters

and location of the boy.

You

understand

will

number of things to be considered in the
abducting of the boy. He had to be hid, and kept out

there were a

of the reach of the police force.

how

lice force of the

how

You

understand

will

great was the search for this boy,

how

all

the po-

country was interested in his recovery;

every one supposed to have any connection with

this case

was arrested and examined.

stand that at this time,
highest, that

man

in the

when

You

will

under-

the interest was at

its

dock was standing by, who

could put his hand on the very men who did the deed,
having them in his own house, and informing them of
the actions of the police and of the intentions of the
authorities.
If we can show you that these facts as
stated are so, there can be no doubt he is just as guilty

:

CHARLEY

396

ROSS.

if he had taken the boy himself, just as guilty as
he had conceived the plan of kidnapping.'*

as

The abduction being

if

proven, as well as the circum-

stances connected with the early search for the kidnap

pers and the child, witnesses were examined to prove

Mosher and Douglas were the actual abductors,
show how Westervelt was connected with them
The main facts brought out during
as an accomplice.
the trial, so far as Westervelt was concerned with the
that

and

to

case, are as follows

In January, 1874, Westervelt with his family removed

from

New York

and lived with Mosher for
same house, returning to New York

to this city,

three months in the
in April.

On the 23d of June, one week before the abduction,
he made Mosher a visit, and went with him to a stable
in the lower part of the city, to look at the horse

buggy, used afterwards

in

and

conveying the children away.

on the 25th of June, Mosher wrote
the letter addressed to Mrs. Murdock at Rondout,
dating it New York, June 26th, and entrusted it to
Westervelt to carry to New York, where he posted it

During

on

this visit,

his arrival in that city.

On

August he was informed by the police
Mosher and Douglas were suspected
of being the kidnappers of Charley Ross, and the same
day informed them of these suspicions and that the
authorities were looking for them. About the middle
of August, by request of Mosher and at his'expense, he
came to Philadelphia, ostensibly to help his sister move
the

1

8th of

authorities that

New York, but really to learn whether the house in
which Moshcr's family were then living was being
to

TRIAL OF WESTER VELT.

watched by the poHce.

39/

Before leaving

New York

he

arranged with Mosher to put the following personal in
" Napoleon
he found everything right
have seen them and they are well." If, on the con-

a newspaper
I

if

:

the house was being watched, it was to be
changed to "they are not well," thus indicating to
Mosher whether the police of this city had or had not

trary,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

found out the residence of his family.
It was on the i8th of August that Superintendent
Walling had the first interview with Westervelt, and
endeavored to engage him to help him find Mosher and

Declining to do

Douglas.
after

he agreed to

assist

it

days

at that time, several

Before the second inter-

him.

view with the Superintendent, on the 20th of August,
his sister, Mrs. Mosher, with her family, moved to New

York and

two
months; and a few days after their arrival Mosher and
Douglas came to his house. At that time he walked
lived with Westervelt's family nearly

about the streets with Douglas,

house with him, where they
for

some

time.

He

five different

who

returned to his

remained

in conference

admitted having seen them

wards at his house at two
day and in the night.

On

all

different times

occasions he saw

after-

during the

them

in a beer

saloon,

where they had private conferences together.

At one

of these interviews they arranged to go to Ron-

dout on the following day, where

commit a burglary.

Though

it

was proposed

to

the plan was not carried

remained together on that trip two days and
and returning to New York took a meal together
at a restaurant before separating. Before going on this
trip he told a person (not an officer) that he was going.

out, they

nights,

CHARLEY

398

ROSS.

and when he returned said he had been up the river
with Moshcr and Douglas. In September he requested
an employee at the saloon to let him know if he should
see chalk marks on the cellar door of the saloon, as that
was a signal that these men were in the city, and he knew
where to find them. During one of his calls at the saloon,
letter and left it in charge of the proprietor,
no one, but to be given to either Mosher or
Douglas, showing their interests were one and the same,
and it made no difference which of the two got it. At
another time he said to the same person " I'll tell you

lie

wrote a

directed to

:

confidentially

how

I

can make from

sand dollars, but by doing so

I

ten to fifteen thou-

would have to give some-

body away who would be

sent to the State's Prison for

ten or twenty years or for

life."

Thrice he met them at a fortune
times on the streets of

New

teller's,

and several

York.

August he again visited Philadelphia, and this time
found his way to Germantown and inquired about the
In

pecuniary resources of

my

family.

While on the way to obtain the letter Mosher had
Murdock, the officer with him spoke of
his visit to the same place in company with Mosher and
Douglas, and asked him whether at the time they were
in Rondout in September Charley Ross was with
He replied " No he was not with us at this
them.
written to Mrs.

*'

:

time.'*

Of

another officer

who

told

him

that

if

he had been

put on the case he would have got the men, Westervelt

How ?" The officer replied "I would have
watched you\ my mate and I would have hired a house
inquired "

:

near to where you lived, and kept a constant watch on

TRIAL OF WESTERVELT.

your house."
have got us."

His reply to

this

was

:

"

399

Then you would

At every interview Superintendent Walling had with
him, *he did not know' the whereabouts of Mosher and
Douglas or where they could be found, and would have
them to communicate with him. The Superintendent learning that he had seen them, accused him

to wait for

of deception,

two
soon

when he admitted having

different times
lost

them

on the

in the

thorities that Mrs.

street,

He never

crowd.

Mosher

men he

them

said he did not

at

informed the au-

lived in his house, or

she went to live after she removed.
of the

seen

but claimed that he

where

Before the death

know where

to get

any

of Mosher's writing, but after they were killed he recol-

Mosher
Rondout

lected the letter

wrote, and which he himself

had mailed to
He also knew that another
person had written to Mosher, and, instead of Mosher's
writing the answer, Westervelt wrote it at his dictation,

by this means preventing the

authorities from obtaining

the handwriting of the chief conspirator.

He

told one witness that

if

these

men were

arrested

the child would not live three days, an opinion on his
part which accords precisely with every theory con-

tained in the letters; while the inference natural to any

one not cognizant of the plans of the abductors would
be that the arrest of the thieves would secure the

fruits

of their crime, that the taking of the kidnappers would
lead directly to the recovery of the child.

On

the 15th and 19th of November, two personals

New York Herald with a heading which
had never been used before in this correspondence,
" Saul of Tarsus." This had been dictated by the writer
appeared in the

CHARLEY

400
in the letcer of

November

ROSS.

the 6th.

On

the day after

the one fixed by that personal for the meeting,

when

Westervelt was told by Mr. Walling that the parties

keep the engagement and get the money
he showed him a memorandum book in
which was written "Saul of Tarsus." There is nothing
in the heading which could cause suspicion that it re-

had

failed to

for the child,

ferred to the abduction, but there

is

in

the personal

itself the words, "Action must now be simultaneous."
Throughout the letters the abductors demanded that
the money must be paid before the child would be given
up, while in a personal in August we had said, "Action
must be simultaneous." When he read this personal, so
similar to the other which had been published, with
which he seemed familiar, he concluded it must refer to
the same thing, and wrote it in his book.
On the evening of December the I2th (Saturday),
the night before the abductors were killed, he met both
Mosher and Douglas in a house, and by appointment
he again met Douglas alone on the street about 8
o'clock the same night. They walked leisurely through

the streets until

i

o'clock in the morning, stopping at

restaurants and other places, passing police officers,

going near many police

by

stations.

Arriving at a hotel,

Douglas Westervelt remains all night;
they register fictitious names, occupy the same room,
talk about the child, speak about how it is proposed to
invitation of

get the ransom,

meeting

make arrangements

for a

subsequent

on either Tuesday the 15th,
or Thursday the 17th, of the fol-

at a billiard saloon

Wednesday

the i6th,

lowing week, and leave the hotel early in the morning;
Douglas going to meet Mosher, who staid at a different
hotel, but Westervelt to his home.

TRIAL- OF WESTERVELT.

Ample

opportunity was thus afforded at this time,

had he intended acting
ties,

in

to have fulfilled his

notifying

4OI

good

faith

with the authori-

engagements with them by

them of this meeting, or by causing the

arrest

of Douglas.

He

is

thus found in

company with

these

men

a few

days before the abduction, and during the five months
they lived afterwards he not only meets them, but is
;

in

company with them

for

hours and days at a time,

they were killed.

until the night before

He

sleeps in

room with Douglas, leaving him early
morning never again to see him alive.
The defense mainly consisted in asserting the

in the

of the statements of the witnesses for the

Com-

the same

falsity

monwealth as applied
nullify the

that he

to him,

entire

and thus attempted to

charge sought to be established against him,

was

Mosher and Douglas.
opening address claimed that there
proof, that it was merely a suspicion

in complicity with

His counsel
had been no

in his
real

that the prisoner

was a conspirator with Mosher and

Douglas, and stated that at one period of the case

it

was the intention of his colleague and himself to have
offered no testimony however, it being the desire of
the prisoner to be examined, he proposed giving him
the opportunity of making his own statement. The
;

principal witnesses called for the defense were the pris-

oner and his wife.

The main

object of Mrs. Westervelt's evidence

was

to account for her husband's whereabouts between the

26th of June and the 7th of July, in order to show that
he did not take an active part in the abduction of the
children. She accounted for each day during that period,

:

CHARLEY

402

ROSS.

where he had been, and what he had
She asserted that she did not know he was

specifically stating

been doing.

engaged by the authorities to assist in looking for Mosher and Douglas, and that he had not told her where
he stayed the night of the I2th of December.
Westervelt in his examination denied being criminally associated with

having been

Mosher and Douglas. He denied
Germantown during the

in Philadelphia or

latter part of

July or beginning of August.

He denied

the statement which the officer said he

made about

Charley Ross not being with them when

at

He

Rondout.

denied the statement about the signal marks on the

He admitted that he did

cellar door.

not inform Super-

intendent Walling of his meetings with

He

Douglas.

Douglas

five

Mosher and

admitted that he had seen Mosher and

He

times in the beer saloon.

that he did not

tell

admitted

the authorities of his appointment

meet Douglas on the 15th, i6th, or 17th of DecemHe claimed that he never engaged to inform on
Mosher, but was willing to give up Douglas; yet gave
no reasons for not informing the authorities on the last
night he was in company with him.
He claimed that
through information obtained from him, more knowledge of the doings of Mosher and Douglas had been
gained than through any other source yet his information was always given after it was of no practical

to

ber.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

benefit.

Without
the case

stating further his admissions

when

and

denials,

the testimony closed chiefly depended on

the credibility of the witnesses.

The

District Attorney,

the testimony for the
closed his address

Mr. Sheppard,

after

commonwealth and the

by saying

reviewing
prisoner*

TRIAL OF WESTERVELT.
" Westervelt and

403

Mosher were thorougly

intimate

and

cognizant of each other's acts, and that shows there

them which do not appear on
Mosher gives him a letter to carry, shows
him the horse and wagon in which the child is to be
carried away Westervelt seeks to discover if Mosher's
house is watched he comes to Philadelphia to take
care of Mosher's family, and when they flee to New
York, Mosher places them in Westervelt's house,
knowing that it is a safe place for them to go to. They
reside there unreported
Mosher visits there Westervelt meets them by appointment; Douglas tells Westerexisted relations between

the surface.

;

;

;

;

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

showing that
there was a bond and a link between them which satisIf they
fied them Westervelt would not betray them.
had not understood each other and had confidence in
each other, Douglas would not have unbosomed himself
and told him what Westervelt says he told him. All
these facts are inexplicable upon any theory other than
that of a relation between them which satisfied them
There
that this man would not *give them away.*
were two agencies at work in this case; the Ross
family working through the police, and the abductors
through the letters. Westervelt comes in just where
he is wanted. He gives Mr. Walling sufficient information to keep the police employed, while, in the mean* * * Having
time, the letters keep flowing in.
referred to the facts of the case, I have not endeavored
to allude to any matters which would influence your
passions God knows there is enough inflammable matter in the case.
I ask your attention to the evidence
itself and to the law bearing upon it.
I ask you to
velt their future plans

:

about the child

all

CHARLEY

404

ROSS.

consider that evidence, and to determine from
transaction,

and not to be misled by any

it

this

false colors

thrown over it and, in the name of Providence, I trust
that your deliberations may have a power over future
;

transactions that

you on

The
dence

may be

a source of congratulation to

future occasions."

counsel for the prisoner argued that "the eviin the case

was only of a circumstantial character,

such as leads only to an inference of guilt; to convict
on such evidence, the consciences of the jury must be
convinced beyond the possibility of a doubt. No conjecture,

no inference would be

alone, that the defendant

evidence,

would be

The Judge

is

sufficient; the conviction

guilty as proven

by the

sufficient."

in his

charge to the jury, referring to

Westervelt's testimony, used the following language:
" By his testimony there is a direct issue, as to the
truth or falsity of the evidence;

you

will reconcile the

testimony of the Commonwealth and the prisoner

if

you cannot, you must be governed by
the weight of the evidence, or the greater number of wityou can but
;

nesses

who

if

support a natural theory of the case, or

testify to the greater

facts

number of

who

consistent and leading

which amount to proof of the crime or innocence of
But if in the investigation of all the facts,

the prisoner.

you

find a witness

who

has stated some material facts

which are not truthful, then his whole testimony must
be cast out, no matter on which side his evidence rests;
for the maxim of the law is, false in one particular, false
in all.
You cannot reconcile truth and falsehood in
one witness but be certain of the falsehood, for an in;

accurate statement, not to the essence of the offense, or

TRIAL OF WESTERVELT.
mistaken data
errors of

in

many

memory, which

405

other questions,

may be

are not falsehoods.

only

Review

the testimony with calm judgment, and fear not to apply

You

by the
must be beyond a reasonable doubt, or he goes free. Give him
that doubt, if it be an honest, manly doubt, derived from
the whole testimony; but do not manufacture it from
weakness or sympathy, either for himself or his family,
Whilst you have
for this is no hour for sympathy.
gazed upon that scene of misery surrounding that prisoner's dock for three weeks, you must recollect that if
there be guilt upon that brow, that for one year and
two months the voice of Charley Ross has been lost
to his home, and that while the prisoner has his children in life around him, another father mourns his son
are to decide

every test to

its

testimony:

to find the prisoner guilty,

through

The

if

accuracy.

it

this terrible crime."

was given to the jury on Saturday evening,
and on Monday morning a verdict of
guilty was rendered on the last three counts of the indictment.
Efforts were at once made by Westervelt's
case

September

19th,

new trial, but without success, and
he was sentenced to pay a fine of one dollar, the costs
of prosecution, and to undergo an imprisonment at
solitary confinement at labor for the term of seven
years.
The result of this protracted trial, which continued three weeks, beginning August 30th, and ending September 2 1st, seemed to accord with public
counsel to secure a

sentiment.

During

all this

The

time great excitement prevailed in the

was the topic of conversation everywhere, and the developments which were made during
city.

trial

CHARLEY

406
its

ROSS.

progress were eagerly sought for by every one. Daily

the court room was densely crowded with an audience

who

listened attentively to every word,

and manifested

the greatest interest to learn something of this remarkable case, and to hear read the anonymous letters
which had been received from the abductors.
large corps of reporters from other cities, as well
as from our own, was daily in attendance, and full reports of the proceedings from day to day were published in the newspapers both here and in New York.

A

So

great

was the

desire to learn the result of the delib-

erations of the jury on

Monday morning,

tliat

before

the clock struck the hour of ten, not only was the court

room densely packed with people, but the hall and stairway were packed with an excited crowd. The street
was equally crowded,

to such an extent that

make
As soon

it

way through

cult for persons to

their

mass of people.

as the verdict

was

diffi-

the dense

became known,

there was a general feeling of approval that a just deci-

sion had been reached, and the fact

now

for the first

time definitely and prominently appeared to the public

Mosher and Douglas were the abductors, and that
William Westervelt was joined with them in their foul

that

conspiracy to extort

Charley Ross.
The two chief

money by

the concealment of

actors in this great crime escaped

punishment by a felon's death, and the tliird is
now paying a well-deserved penalty in obedience to the

legal

demands of violated law. Thus three of those intimately
connected with the abduction have been brought to
justice,

and have received a merited punishment

their awful guilt.

for

TRIAL OF WESTERVELT.

The

40/

array of testimony presented in this narrative,

showing that Mosher and Douglas were the kidnappers,
the fact that they were suspected in the latter part of
July of being guilty of the crime, and the many state-

ments of

their

movements and doings subsequent

to

that time, alluded to in the history of this case, will

naturally suggest to the reader the query, "

they not captured?" In reply to

this

it

Why

were

should be borne

mind that very much of what is related of these men
was learned after their death, and it would be very unjust
in

to hold the authorities responsible for pursuing or not

pursuing a certain course of action with the light and
knowledge we now possess. There were difficulties
of no ordinary kind connected with the search for these

men. The crime itself was of so atrocious a character,
and the public excitement so intense, as to make it
necessary for the men continually to change their locality, which is not ordinarily done by criminals, thus
placing unusual obstacles in the
finding them.

ested with

way

of the police to

Besides, so long as they

them

in constant

authorities, they could,

had one

inter-

communication with the

by using the information he

gave them, elude the police, and in this they were most
successful, until shot down while committing another
crime.

a writer

It

was well

who was

by
was

stated in one of our daily papers
familiar with everything

that

being done in the search, that "the determined

resist-

ance of the police soon became quite manifest to the
abductors, and every plan they tried to devise to get at

the ransom money, and then effect their escape, was so
beset with danger to themselves that they abandoned

plan after plan, and so

many months passed away. This

CHARLEY

408

ROSS.

has been the one great point of difficulty with them in
attempting an exchange of the stolen child for the ran-

som money.

had been any concession allowed
any negotiations intended to recover
the child simply, and let them get the ransom money
and escape, there is but little room for doubt that
Charley Ross could have been recovered long ago,
just as stolen bonds and the proceeds of bank robberies
Then child-stealing would have run
are recovered.
If there

to the brigands,

wild in the United States; kidnapping children for ran-

som would have been succeeded by the capture of men
and women, for there are men and women for whom
brigands could have extorted hundreds of thousands of

But the treatment of the
by the police authorities, and the
excited public feeling on the subject, have demonstrated
dollars of

ransom money.

Charley Ross

to

all

case

malefactors of whatever grade that brigandage

cannot be made a safe profession

The

failure to find

about him

in the

United

States.'*

Charley, or even to learn anything

after the

death of the kidnappers, notwith-

standing the extraordinary efforts to that end, has led

many

to question whether

the abductors.

versant with

all

Mosher and Douglas were

In the minds, however, of those conthe circumstances, there

is

not a shadow

of doubt that they were the projectors and perpetrators
of this crime.

The

principal reasons for this belief will

be grouped together, so that the reader
the evidences on which

it

may readily see

rests.

There are many statements of facts interspersed
through the letters, which could not have been known
to the writer unless he had had possession of the children, facts which had not been published before the letters containing allusions to

them were

written.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
TRIAL OF WESTERVELT.
In the

first letter it is

by the

stated

have got Charles Brewster Ross

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

4O9

writer that they

his full

name being

here given, which, as before stated, was no doubt elicited

from Walter.
In letter No.

home

7, it is said

:

"

He

is

afraid

he won't get

time to go to Atlantic City, to be with his

in

mother when Sophy comes back." Such a promise
had been made to Walter and Charley by their mother
before she went to Atlantic City, and it was so impressed
on the child's mind that, notwithstanding his isolation,
he remembered it, and fretted lest he would not get
back in time to go to his mother at the sea-shore.
In No. 8, the writer desiring to give some evidences
that they had possession of the child, says " You re:

member

his striped stockings are

places where they

had holes

in

ing this information, no person

had thought of the darns

darned

them."

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;not

in

two or three

Before receiv-

even the nurse

in the stockings,

which she

put on him the afternoon he was taken away.
In the same letter the following questions are given

"Ask Walter

we did not put the
blanket up in front of him, and Charley in behind to
hide him ? Ask Walter if we did not say we would go
down to Aunt Susy's before we went to the main street
to buy torpedoes?"
To both of these questions put to
Walter, in such a way as not to be leading ones, he
to ask Walter:

answered
*'

if

Again the writer says:
Charley about four days ago, and his
he wants Walter to come to him, and he

in the affirmative.

We have seen

whole cry
is

afraid

is

he will not go to Atlantic City with his mother."

In letter No. 17,

it

is

said:

"Ask Walter if we did
we rode along?"

not keep giving him pieces of candy as
18

CHARLEY

410

ROSS.

Walter's testimony confirmed this statement, and he
said moreover,

"They gave Charley more candy than

me.

Also "

you have received any other letters headed
other than Ros or Mr. Ros, they are forgeries." All
If

the letters

I

received written inNthe handwriting pecu-

liar to this series

or " Mr.

Ros"

of

letters,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;thus

far

that they were the parties

were addressed to " Ros,"
confirming their assertion

who

stole

and had the child

in their keeping.

In letter No. i8 the writer says, "
domestics or Mrs. Ross
the afternoon of the

if

first

Ask one

of your

Charley did not have on
of July a narrow faded pink

ribbon tied around his head to keep the hair out of
This ribbon was not thought of by any
his eyes ?"

one

until attention

was

called to

it

in this

letter,

when

a part of the same piece of ribbon was found in the
house. This fact is mentioned by the writer as posiIn
tive proof that they have possession of Charley.

No. 19 reference is made to Charley's suflTering
from a complaint sometimes incident to childhood.
On inquiry it was found that on one or two occasions
while at home he suffered from the same ailment
letter

These among other things are stated by the writer
letters, and are strong proofs that
whoever wrote them, took the children away and had
In addition to these evidences is
control of Charley.
the fact that Mosher was the writer of the letters.
They are in a hand pronounced by experts to be identical with that of the letter procured at Rondout, and
which Westervelt saw William Mosher write.
Again, Mosher and Douglas knew early in August
of the anonymous

TRIAL OF WESTERVELT.

4II

that they were suspected of being the abductors,

and

became thenceforth fugitives for months, being without
a home, wandering from place to place to elude the
pursuing officers, which would have been unnecessaryAgain, Douglas on the
had they been innocent.
night before he was killed said to Westervelt, " What
They
could they do with us if they did get us ?
some
to
find
they
would
have
prove
it,
have
to
would
;"
furtjher
child
and
added
one who saw us with the

new plan for exchangand before dying he con-

that they were about to adopt a

ing the

money

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

for the child;

Charley Ross.'*
by Walter of the
bodies of the two men at the Morgue in Brooklyn, as
the persons who took Charley and himself away the
fessed

A

" I

helped

further proof

is

Mosher

to steal

the recognition

afternoon of the ist of July.

And

since the death of these

ceived any letters written in the

those sent

me up

men

I

have not

same hand or

to the time of that event.

re-

style as

In addi-

tion to these evidences that they were the kidnappers,

the admission of Masher's family that he and
Douglas stole the child. It will be seen by this summing up of these various evidences, that we are not
resting on a mere suspicion, but it has been fully ascertained and clearly proved that these were the men
who committed the crime.
There are very good reasons also for believing that
neither Mosher nor Douglas retained possession of
the child after the night of the 2d of July, but placed
is

him

in the care of either a confederate or of some innocent party, and although full reliance cannot be
placed on what is written in the letters on this

412

CHARLEY

point, yet there are

many

ROSS.

circumstances corroborating

the statements of the writer.

I

propose to make selec-

what is there said on this
and to follow them with facts and theories

tions from the letters of
point,

derived from other sources.

The

children were taken

On

I St.

away the afternoon of July

the morning of the 4th of July the

first

letter

from the abductors, dated Philadelphia, July 3d, was
received.

In

^

No

letter

7,

stated as a reason

it is

why they had

not replied sooner to one of our personals, that " they

had gone
see

into the country, as

how Charley

In

No

II

said, "

it is

tion of

knowing

city."

At

much

as anything to

was."

We will

that he

is

give

you the

satisfac-

within 100 miles of this

the time this letter was written they were

living in this city, as

is

and post-mark, but also
our personals, as

we

by the date
by the quick reply we had to

indicated not only

frequently received answers the

same day on which the personals appeared.
In

No 13 it is said, "Your child is not in possession
woman or family."
No 16: " We would require at least a few hours

of any
In
to

examine the money, and

more would be necessary

then but

to place

a few hours

your child

in

your

possession."

In

No

"We

17:

saw Charley about four days

ago."

We don't go near him often; we have
nothing to do with guarding him, though we have
seen him four or five times since July the 2d."
In

No

18

:

"

In No 19: " His custodian got him some medicine
which helped him."

*

4I3

TRIAL OF WESTERVELT.

No

you

and to save you
your child has not
been seen by any human being since the 3d of July,
other than by the party who have him in charge.
In

21

:

"I

tell

positively,

further trouble and anxiety, that

We

could not take him

rested."

five

the letters tending to

show

on the negotiations

in

that the abductors placed

the child ia the keeping of
carried

miles without being ar-

These are the principal statements made

some

one, while

to get the

money.

they
Other

reasons for believing that they put him in charge of
Mosher's family say
some one else, are as follows
both
Douglas
and Mosher had
the
3d
of
that by
July
:

returned to their

home

in Philadelphia.

And

it is

not

probable that they brought Charley to their house,

but more likely that during the interval between the
1st and the 3d of July they drove away with him and
handed him over to the person with whom previous
arrangements had been made to secrete him, while at
the same time they disposed of the horse and wagon.
About the ist of August they left this city, and
never returned to stay any length of time, having no
home. They remained but a short time in any one place
as the dates and post-marks of the letters indicate.
At one time we hear of them in Bridgeport, Connecticut, the place from which they took the boat, again on
tlie river near Newark, New Jersey, where they altered
the boat under one of the bridges of that city, and
again they go in the same boat to Bay Ridge, Long
Island.
They knew that they were being closely
watched and tracked, and were liable to be arrested at
any time for this very crime of child-stealing, and certainly they would not keep the child with them during

CHARLEY

414

ROSS.

had they been captured, the fact
of the child being with them would have been indubitable evidence of their guilt, and to this Douglas referred when he said to Westervelt; "they would have to
prove it on us they would have to find some one who
saw us with the child." Besides, the shrewd scoundrel
jvho was working out the plot, and who had so skillfully and carefully guarded every avenue to prevent
detection, can hardly be supposed to have had in
their wanderings, for

;

his actual possession the very strongest evidence of
his atrocious crime,

and to have been carrying around

with him the living and conclusive testimony of his
guilt

For these reasons we believe that as soon as
was placed in charge of some one

possible the child

keep until the exchange could be arranged,
and that the abductors seldom went to the place of his
else to

concealment.

Daily are
theories of
is still

we met by the
the case now?

alive?

inquiries, "

Do you

What

are your

think

Charley
Doug-

After the death of Mosher and

las, what motive could any one have for continuing to
"
keep him ?
In answer to the first question, we can have no theory outside of the facts which have been detailed in
be it happy
this history, and as to the consummation

or sorrowful

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;we

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

look with a certainty to the future,

under Providence, to disclose

it.

In answer to the sec-

ond question, we are bound by both reason and instinct
assume that the child is still alive until we know that
he is dead. So long as his dead body is not found, or
evidence obtained to prove his death, so long must we
to

indulge the hope that he will eventually be restored

TRIAL OF WESTERVELT.

The evidence

alive.

is

415

as conclusive as anything short

of actual visible proof can be, that either the child was
living

on Saturday, December

the brigands did not
that time.

It

12th, 1874, or else that

know anything

should be borne

abductors were marked men, well
ities,

to the contrary at

mind

also that the

known

to the author-

in

suspected of the kidnapping, and they were fully

aware of the

they were being hunted

for, and
and persistence was
equal to their own. Had they lived they would at
some time early in the future most certainly have been
arrested.
Possessing this knowledge, it would seem incredible that they would add the crime of wilful murder
to that already committed; besides, it was their interest to keep the child alive, so long as they entertained
any hope of obtaining the ransom, which they had not
abandoned the night before they were killed, as stated
by Douglas to Westervelt. Had the child died a natural
death, we cannot see any reasons for withholding the
information from us. As to the motive any one could
have in keeping him, after the death of the principals
in the crime, many conjectures can be made; but they
are only conjectures, and afford little light and less
comfort to any one. At first sight it would seem that
an accomplice would at once give up the child after his
associates were dead, upon whose management of the
case depended the successful exchange of the prize for
a ransom. But would not the same cupidity which
actuated him to receive the stolen child cause the same
person to keep him still, in the hope of getting the
same amount that was demanded as a ransom by the

that too

fact that

by those whose

vigilance

â&#x20AC;˘

abductors while they lived ?

6

CHARLEY

41
It is

a certainty that for

December
cealed.

I2th,

We have

ROSS.

five

months, from July istto

Charley was most

effectually con-

never had a single trace of him after

Walter was dropped from the wagon and as he was
successfully hidden away for so long a time, despite the
diligent search which had been made for him, it can be
seen how easily he could still be concealed by the saiAe
person in the same place. This theory, however, is
based on the supposition that he was placed with a
confederate, which is by no means certain.
He may
have been placed in charge of persons ignorant of his
identity and that any such crime as the abduction of
Charley Ross had been committed living in some
isolated place, where little or no communication is had
;

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

with the outer world.

Fear of detection would be a powerful motive to
prevent this person (if a confederate) from giving him
up, not only from fear of lawful punishment, but of an

aroused and avenging community.

Charley when

taken away could talk plainly, and there

is little

doubt

but that he would be able to give information as to
where he had been and the party who had charge of
him for so long a time. These are but theories. We

have no information which sheds one ray of light
on the mysterious subject, and my reader, with the facts
which have been presented in this volume, is as fully
able to draw correct conclusions as those who have been
conversant with all the circumstances from the time of
the abduction to the present day.

One

of the remarkable things

search in this case, and which
reliable trace

connected with the

is that no
was ever found of the horse and buggy
is

inexplicable,

TRIAL OF WESTER VELT.

41/

used by the kidnappers in conveying the children away,
even with the added stimulus of a reward of one thou-

sand dollars which was offered for any information

which would lead to their discovery; and through the
great and wide publicity which was given by descriptive hand-bills, posters and newspapers, it was reasonable to suppose that some one would have come forward

who

could give information of them after the 1st of

It would seem sheer impossibility that the
horse and wagon could have been so absolutely and

July.

Yet so

successfully disposed of

far as

our knowledge

extends they vanished from sight as though dissolved
in air.

There

is

exhibited from the beginning of this trans-

action to the death of the criminals a certain complete-

ness in detail and finish in carrying out

all the'

plans

that precludes the idea that the kidnappers were ruffians of the

vulgar type

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;and

now

the crime

that

is

inaugurated there would no doubt have been plenty of
imitators
this

had these men been successful

in

branch of thieving industry would be

proving that

profitable.

In reviewing the circumstances of the case from the

time of the abduction, everything appears to us dark

and impenetrable.

Failure has

find the criminals, or

and

it

was only

marked every

effort to

discover their precious booty;

human skill had failed that the
of God brought to light and punish-

after

retributive justice

ment the wicked perpetrators of the crime. Failure accompanied every movement of the police of our own city
to trace the offenders whilst they were living in our

midst; failure followed the

humane purposes

of

the wisest and most thoughtful of our citizens,
i8*

some of

who were

8

CHARLEY

41

ROSS.

intensely interested, not only in the restoration of the
child,

but also

in the

in protecting society

discovery of the kidnappers, and

from similar depredations

the plans to capture the men, after they

and

of the villains

fled to

all

New York

and since the sudden and fearful death
thus hounded, the same

vicinity:

its

the

in

attended every step of the pursuit, and

future; failure

who had been

darkness broods over the destiny of the missing boy,

and the same want of success follows every well devised
scheme and every hopeful theory that has attended the
case from the very beginning. In the history of crime it
has rarely, if ever, happened that so much effort has been
concentrated, and so much means expended, in any one
direction, followed by such an entire want of success.
To God alone belongeth secret things; in His own
way, and

in

what

He

away since Charley was

kid-

His own time,

will

He

reveal

wills.

Two

years have passed

napped from
far

more

his

home, and

startling

in

the meantime events of

moment have taken

place,

and

for

a

time have engrossed public attention, and have then
passed out of the public mind, to be followed by others;

and yet the continued absence of this little child is still
as fresh as the day on which it became known that he
was stolen. The dread uncertainty^ which surrounds
his fate, and the loathing of the criminals who so violated

every

human

instinct, gives

terrible reality that but

the matter such a

few parents will easily forget

it.

The public now know that there are creatures ready and
able to

upon

commit the heinous

sufficient

offense of child-stealing

inducement, that

is,

a reasonable pros-

TRIAL OF WESTER VELT.
pect of mere gain; and

now

realize the feeling of inse-

curity in the impressive fact that

—one needing

4I9

is

it

a daylight crime

— one

no shadow of darkness

truth

in

that can be done only during the play hours of broad

day; for with the coming night, so propitious to ordinary crime, comes the sleeping time of the child, which
is

best protection.

its

crime can be committed

and

one,

the

The ease also with which the
is now brought home to every

tremendous influence which

may be

brought to bear on parents by means of threatening

by which the kidnappers hold the key to the
Well may parents be
situation, is fearful to think of
struck with terror in realizing this peril, and in feeling
that their children are no longer safe upon the lawns or
lanes which were once thought as safe as the nursery
or school-room. Well may they shudder at the bare
letters,

possibility of

one of their offspring being snatched
traffic and truly may

from them by miscreants for vile
the alarming questions be asked

;

:

Who is safe ? What

parent can trust his children out of his sight,

napping

is

impossible

der,

kid-

?

some of

In

if

so simple and recovery so doubtful, nay

its

aspects this crime

is

worse than mur-

being not only torture to the child,

who by

terror

and confinement must necessarily suffer greatly, to say
nothing of the anguish of the parents. So startling, indeed,

is

the subject in

sumed a

all

its

bearings, that

national character, and

household

—none can

be

it

has as-

really affects

indifferent.

The

every

instincts of

parental affection are identical the civilized world over.

There

who

is

scarcely a father or

mother throughout the land

has not been directly struck in thetenderest affec-

420

CHARLEY

tion

and the most precious

ROSS.
interests of

flagrant instance of kidnapping a

sum

the purpose of extorting a

of

money

by

life

little child,

this

solely for

as a ransom;

and the protection demanded by childish helplessness
makes all men akin in resisting this most unnatural
crime.

It is for

these reasons that public feeling has

been so intensely aroused, and continues to be so wonderfully alive to this case, and not simply because

Charley Ross was

stolen

trait

tianity

loved

little

found

all

other systems of

little

faith,

Chris-

that the Master

them come

children and bade

a

in

note as a dijstinguishing

Love which separates

of that Charity and

from

and has not been recovered.

we

In our blessed religion

to him,

and

child the highest type of faith, truth

and purity; and no incident

more

in the scriptures is

sadly interesting than that of Joseph

To

who was

sold

day nothing
appeals to our sympathies so readily as the sorrow of
little children.
There is not, cannot be a mother who
does not feel that she would rather see her child dead
than be subjected to a fate which has befallen our little
into slavery

by

his brethren.

boy.

The imagination surrounds

terrors

compared

to

the victim with

which death would be a

Imprisonment, starvation,
ing through the long
caress

this

blessing.

stripes, neglect, lonely

night

watches

;

him, to minister to his childish

weep-

no love

to

ailings,

to

The agony and suspense
and the thoughts will come up
With
lives on
whom is he? Are they kind to him? Do his childish
eyes which knew nothing but home and home kindrescue and to nourish him.

:

;

ness see sights revolting?

has he been carried

far

Is

away

he closely confined, or

to avoid pursuit?

Does

TRIAL OF WESTERVELT.

he hear brutal language

?

421

Are the scenes about him

memory of us gradually fails, and
home and friends will all be

so strange that his

his recollections of love,

swept away ?
that nurtured

Will he be taught to forget the hands

him and

raised

him from

"Our Father which

taught him to say,

infancy,

art in

and

Heaven,"

Now

I lay me down
some
bad scheming
to sleep," and will he regard
woman as his mother? Stolen by thieves, will he be
taught to be a thief? Will he grow to love crime?

prayer, "

or that other simple

Will he
live to

live to

grow up

reap the bitter fruits of it?
in

Will he

ignorance of love, gentleness, good-

ness, in ignorance of all that

edge of pain, hunger,
that he should never

he should know,

ill-treatment, in

in knowlknowledge of all

know?

Stern death would be far kinder than the rude arms
that snatched

for when death
little boy
we recall with a sad pleasure
but when this greater desolation

away our

;

robs us of our loved ones,

the winsome ways

;

comes the remembrance of pet words, childish phrases,
cunning tricks, and affectionate glances crowds upon
us until memory, too faithful, forces us almost to pray
for utter forgetfulness.

Did we know that Charley had died, then would we
his abiding place; would know that danger, sickness, trouble, sin and pain, could disturb him no more.
The very uncertainty increases our agony a thousand

know

fold.

" Doomed through long suspense

The hope

Yet

this

to learn

to

bear

that keeps alive despair."

very uncertainty incites us to continued

effort

what has become of him, and makes us more

—
CHARLEY

422

eagerly anxious to find

him

ROSS.
Is

if living.

it

then to ask a sympathizing public to continue

too

much

all efforts

to aid in finding the place of concealment of our

little

boy, or in recovering him?

The

wail

is still

heard

—so

oft

unless to end in disappointment.

repeated

—no tidings

Will you not, fathers

and mothers, work now and earnestly, lest the hour
draw nigh when, in the desolation of your own homes,
your hearts may perchance take up the sorrowful plaint
of "a stolen child," and that child your own ? Should
this appeal result in discovering the

hiding-place of

boy and he be found alive, every parent and
every child in the land would breathe more freely, and
thousands of hearts would be filled and thrilled with
great gladness, when the telegraph and the press shall
announce to the sympathizing public, "The lost is
found; Charley Ross is home again!"
our

little

It

has frequently been said,

"So

long a time has

Charley was taken from his home that you
would not know him; he would be so much changed in
his appearance that he could not be recognized even by

elapsed since

his parents."

his face

may

may be

Yes, his beautiful curls

cut off;

be stained, or even burnt by acids, as has

been done with other stolen children but his mouth
will be wreathed with the same familiar smile, and his
large, full eyes dance in the same well-remembered
loving way; the expression of his face will still be that
of Charley Ross, and of no one else. Should he ever
;

grow out of our

know

his mother.

recognition, the child

The

would surely
home and

early impressions of

surroundings will never be obliterated; the incidents
connected with his abduction his being taken away
its

—

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
TRIAL OF WESTERVELT.

423

with Walter in the wagon, and afterwards his being
driven off without his brother; his distress and lonehness, his longing for
all

home,

his solitary confinement

these things, so terrible to a child, have

memory which

pressions on his childish
effaced, except

by

made im-

never will be

death.

Whatever darkness still enshrouds this case, and
however hopeless it may look to others, so long as
there remains a doubt as to whether the child

is

living

or dead, our duty urges and our affections stimulate us
to a persistent

missing boy.
that

and eager pursuit
Hitherto

we knew how

to

do

we have
;

in the search for
left

nothing untried which had

any reasonable appearance of yielding success
untraced, however

our

nothing undone

slight or trifling,

;

nothing

which seemed to

Our

lead in the direction of the lost one.

time, our

our means, have been
unsparingly given to this object, and we have the
energies, our

thoughts, and

same unchanged purpose before us

for the future

leaving the ninety and nine "safe in the fold,"

we

pur-

one that is not." Our search
is by no means a hopeless one, and so long as we do not
know that he is dead, we have a basis of trust on which

pose

still

to work.

to look for the "

Trusting the result to the Providence of

Him

whose Fatherly care is over all His children, and whose
promises are to us and our children, we are bound to
use all the means He affords us to find out what has
become of our unfortunate child; and yet the constant
stretching of the hand to reach something tangible in
the midst of the darkness

is

a fearful strain on our

Those only who can put themselves
imagining the

little

in

faith.

our place, by

one they so tenderly and lovingly

CHARLEY

424
lift

to their

ROSS.

knee snatched from them, as has been oui

boy, can in any degree understand us

work

life's

to seek and to

is

when we say our

find the lost

one of out

household.

We,

therefore, send this

unvarnished story of our

misfortune, and of this great wrong, on a mission to

its

hope that familiarized with the features
of Charley, by looking at his picture and stimulated
by the plain recital of the facts here narrated, and we
trust, blessed of God, some one of them directed in this
search may be the happy means of restoring him to
his home.
readers, in the

We

are almost daily in receipt of

some

intelligence

which keeps alive the hope that out of the multitude
of means employed, we may get sufficient light to guide

Out of this personal

us to a successful issue.

has

come

this

much

of public good, and

great satisfaction from
this,

the

first

it,

that the

suffering

we

derive

want of success

in

clearly defined case of brigandage in this

country, has rendered for years to come, a repetition
of the crime most unlikely.

which

nation

spread publicity

it

The

intense public indig-

abduction has aroused, the wide-

this

has obtained, will deter the boldest

thieves from attempting a like outrage.

This

is

cer-

tainly a source of great gratulation to the public,

and

most

heartily,

^^e able to join in

God

own

although mourning our

loss, are

it.

save other parents from a like

other children from the fate of our dear

and all
Charley.

trial,

little

APPENDIX.
FTER

had finished writing the narrative of
the abduction and search for my Httle son, and
it was almost all in type, I received the following note from Professor Leib, of Saint Paul, Minnesota,
whose son Freddie unaccountably disappeared about
five years ago, and has never since been heard from:
I

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

Mr. C. K. Ross. Dear Sir. I learn you are expecting to publish a
book on the abduction of and search for your dear little son Charley.
If, in the course of its pages, you could briefly allude to the loss of our
dear

little

Freddie, as narrated in the enclosed circular, I would be very

W.

thankful.

Allusion has been briefly
loss of Mr. Leib's son, but

ticed as I should have
I

known

in the

I

book

to the

has not been so fully no-

been glad to have stated

the wishes of the parents.

above note,
rative,

made

it

H. Leib.

On

it,

had

receiving the

proposed to add an appendix to

my

nar-

containing such an account of the disappearance

of the child, and the search

for

him, as the father

might prepare. With this explanation the following
letter and circular are added, with the hope and prayer
that the further publicity of this case of kidnapping,

which

will

be given to

it

by means of

this

book,

may

awakening a more extended interest in behalf
of Freddie Leib, and in restoring to his distressed parresult in

ents their long absent child.
(425)

:

APPENDIX.

426

Saint Paul, Minn., October

—

^j-,

iSjs-

—

W. C. LocHERTY, Esq., 317 Broadway, N. Y. Kind Friend
To your kind favor desiring me to refresh your memory' with the particulars regarding the loss of my little son, I have deemed best to reply in
the form of a circular which would also serve for the public whenever

Lave occasion thus

was

It
Ills.,

summer

in the

only a

to use

little

I

it.

of 1871, and

more than a

year,

—pronounced " Libe").

My

I

had been located

in Quincy,

when Freddie disappeared (Freddie

was that of a vocalist and
was employed at the Quincy
Female Seminary. My first year's work having just ended, and the
Seminary closed for the usual Summer Vacation. I went to Chicago, expecting to visit friends for a few weeks, and to remain in Chicago if
I had
certain offers made me by parties there proved to be acceptable.
Freddie being one of them— well and
left my wife and three children
happy, on Wednesday, the 2 1st day of June, and had been in Chicago
just a week, when, on Wednesday, June 28, I received a telegram from
my wife, stating that Freddie was " missing since Monday evening, and
no trace yet." I at once took the night express on the C. B. & Q. R.

Lcib

profession

teacher of vocal music, and as such

I

—

R. and reached home early next morning. You will observe
was now already two days and three nights since he disappeared.

that

it

News

of the sad event had, for reasons that you will gather from what follows,

only just

now become

I hurried to

and other

my

city officers,

at the City Hall,

I

I

found the

With

city in

excitement as

the kindly aid of the

mayor

in

Tele-

instituted.

every direction, and a liberal reward offered.

devoted myself to the task of finding out the circumstances

learned from

o'clock, P. M.,

Charley, and

and

a large meeting of citizens was hurriedly assembled

under which he disappeared.
I

;

and a thorough and systematic search

grams were sent out
This done,

general

distracted family.

^^

tell

my

They

ith instructions

him

are substantially as follows

wife that Freddie had

from the hired

left

:

the house at about six

girl to

look for his brother

to get ready for supper.

Freddie had not been in the habit of leaving the house, or
diate vicinity, without permission or to

its

imme-

do some errand.

The day had been very warm, and after repeated entreaties, his mother
had allowed him to remove his shoes and run barefoot during the afternoon. He had spent most of the day on the opposite side of the street,
playing in and about some old omnibuses and carriages that stood about
Part of the time he was alone, and part of it
a carriage manufactory.
there

was with him a

little

colored boy (child of the servant of the house

APPENDIX.
where we boarded).

427

Freddie was passionately fond of horses, and of

He

riding in any kind of conveyance.

exhibited this fondness by run-

and hanging on the backs of buggies or wagons, and
Sometimes parties, at
there taking a swinging ride of four or five rods.
his request for a ride, would stop and take him in, and after a little disning into the

tance

let

street,

him down

when he always came back

again,

to his play, at or

near the house.
It

was near seven o'clock on the evening of

whom we

the family (Dr. Rushlanb's) with

down

The

to tea.

other

little

Freddie.

The supper

in,

sat

years older

but had seen nothing of

was rung a second time for Freddie, all the
the table.
But as he failed to appear, Mrs. Leib

others being present at

moment

Just at that

others at the table, started out to

a valued lady friend from a neigh-

boring town called and detained her somewhat,
utes.

when

bell

became very anxious, and leaving the
look for him.

who was two

son, Charley,

than Freddie, had in the meantime come

his disappearance,

were then boarding,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; not

over fifteen min-

After searching about three hours without success, she determined

to inform the police.

This was done between ten and eleven o'clock
Mrs. Leib spent a night of woe, as

night, by Dr. Rushlanb.

But few persons knew of the occurrence as

imagined.

yet,

at

may be

and Dr. R's

family believed the boy had played with the neighbors' children and

With

turned in with some of them for the night.
jectures, Mrs. L.

early

wore out the hours of the

morning would bring some good

these

and other conhope that the

night, in the

tidings.

morning she personally met three policemen who had not
heard a word of the occurrence, she felt deeply disappointed, and doubted
whether the police had been as faithful as they should have been the
But when

in the

previous evening.

She then went

requested that the case be

still

but few persons

the schools on foot,

it

She then

and again

visited all the schools

and public.

in the city, Catholic, private,

As

to the police station herself,

made known.

knew

of

it,

and she was making her visits to
She then informed

took her most of the day.

some of the newspaper men, (who had not yet heard a word of
the " Quincy Evening Call," of that day, June 27th, published
notice of his disappearance.

As

this

our friends, but few of them heard of
account appeared in the Quincy
offered such assistance as

As

yet there

was

and
first

much among
morning, when a fuller

paper did not circulate
it

until next

"Whig."

in their

was nothing known

it,)

the

Then our

friends called

and

power.

as to

where he was

really last seen

;

but acting on the supposition that he had perished somewhere, each

;

APPENDIX.

428

began making such search as seemed
Chicago, in ignurance of the sad

My

best.

All this time I was

in

still

alTair.

made repeated attempts to telegraph to me, but was diswho fell sanguine that the Iwy would be found, and so
Dut when on
believing, thought best not to bring me home uselessly.
Wednesday evening he had not been heard from, I was telegraphed to,
ÂŤs stated heretofore.
On my way home that night, my most dreadful
reflections were, that so much time had already elapsed since he disapwife had

The house wheie we boarded was about
river.
The child was much afraid of

water, of the river especially, and

duced by other children

meeting,every con*

Lumber yards, lofts,

would not have gone there unless

but no children were found

in-

who saw him

or

of his whereabouts that evening, except the case that will be

mentioned.

Again, there was a night watchman,

of the river, and

who went on

who

patroled the shore

duty early in the evening.

provide for the one contingency of his having

However,

lost his life there,

to

against

the ninety-nine that he had not, watchers were placed at different places

many miles down the river. The large reward offered induced very
many persons, who, between Quincy and St. Louis, lived on and along
the river, to make s}>ecial efforts in the way of watch and search, espefor

cially a
city,

number

who daily frequented the river below the
who were then engaged in building a bridge

of tishennen,

and also the workmen

across the river about fifteen miles below, at Hannibal.

Supposing he had been drowned, the body would, in the very
wcither

at

the time, have

come

or four months other bodies, (some of children,) were found,

Freddie was ever discovered.

It

warm

to the surface; but while within three

no

trace of

should also be added that the river

was very low at this time, and that many persons searched for the child
who were actuated only by feelings of sympathy and friendship.
Handbills and other advertisements followed in rapid succession, sent
out with photographs, &c., very similar to what h-is since been done in

Hundreds of stories of " lost " children, or children that
seimed "strange and uncomfortable," came to us, and many times in
our great anxiety we scarcely knew in what direction to act first.
About the fifth day after his disappearance the following was related

the Ross case.

to

me, which

I

have every reason to believe

is

reliable so far as

it

goes

APPENDIX.
and strange

to say, the substance of this

429

item was told

my

wife before I

returned from Chicago, but which, in her bewildered condition, and amid
the

many

things told her at the time, she either did not notice, or else

overlooked, viz

That

:

other circumstances, our

as near seven o'clock as could be determined
little

by

Freddie stepped into a harness shop around

on the north side of the block, (on the southwest corner of which were
our living quarters,) and there asked for some straps to put on his whipremarking that he " was going to get a ride." The regular hands

lash,

of the shop had left; only the proprietor's son, a boy about fourteen years
old,

was

there.

He knew Freddie well, because I passed the door of
my way to and from the Seminary, and frequently

the shop every day on

had Freddie wilh me.
stairs to his supper,

This boy gave him

and then went up
he left the shop,

straps,

not looking after Freddie at

all as

but simply seeing him step out on the sidewalk.

When

Freddie's disappearance was reported, this boy told his mother,

and she then remembered
at the time her

that

she herself had seen Freddie in the shop

son gave him the straps.

Several days later, reliable information was received, that the day after

Freddie, disappeared, an old

man

with a rickety buggy was seen in the

He had a
boy with him, who was crying and apparently much displeased. As

eastern suburban part of the city, going toward the country.
little

this old

man

passed a hbuse that stood at the fork of two roads, he noticed

a number of children
flying a kite

hands

full

to sell

him

little

;

and

in the

yard (some of

whom

were

fifteen years old)

who

already had his

as if to further pacify the boy,

of candies and the like, he stopped and induced the children

When

their kite, to please the crying boy.

asked

boy cried and was so uneasy, he replied that he probably

strange because he

was only

his uncle,

and had

why

felt

a

the

little

just taken the child out

of the Orphan Asylum, and was taking him to his home.

An Irish man-servant across the street also saw the man and boy, but
was a little too far off to understand the conversation.
These young folks, supposing the man told the truth, thought no more
about it, until the news of Freddie's loss became generally known.

A

statement was also fully substantiated, that during the

Freddie was gone, a child was frequently heard crying

first

bitterly

night

in the

direction of a large timothy-grass field, in the outer edge of the city.

Those who heard the cries supposed them
living beyond this field
but these families
;

to

come from some children

stated that

none of

their child-

ren had been crying during that night.

When

these stories were

made known

to us,

we

sent detectives

and

APPENDIX.

430
messengers into

all

on horseback and otherwise, and

parts of the county,

posted hand-bills in every post-office in that and the adjoining counties.
1 will

now simply

some

indicate

supposition that he had been carried

of the circumstances that led to the

away

:

During the week immediately preceding, an unusually large number

There were not

of Italian organ-grinders infested the city.

from three to

thirty or forty, distributed in parlies of

Yankee Robinson show exhibited

in

Monday.

There were Gipsies

gone out of

sight

when

I

arrived

came fully known.
With the aid of our Chief of
Pinkerton and his men,

home and

this

did not get away until

showmen and

Gipsies,

had

Freddie's disappearance beÂŤ

Police at the time, and later that of Allan

was done

all

men

than

so-called

in several places within four or five miles

but all these people, Italians,

;

less

A

Quincy the Saturday preceding

unlucky Monday, and some of the teams and
of the city

five.

in the premises that could be.

and advice, such measures were adopted and carried out,
The cases, in all that peras have since been in the Charley Ross case.
If Mr. Ross and
tains to the search, are similar, yea, almost identical.

With

their aid

one would be telling the other's story in relating his
But as Mr. Ross's misfortune happened in a large city, and because
he had wealihy relatives by whose aid he could furnish far more money
than I in prosecuting the search, and because the indications wfre from
I should meet, the

own.

the first

more plain that his boy had really been kidnapped,

gained a notoriety

But

fully

far greater

aware of

my

his case

than ours.

child's indisposition to leave

home

uninfluenced

or without permission, his terror of the river or any large body of water,
the character and extent of the search that

was made

for

him, as well as

of what has since been done, and more especially his going into the
shop for straps, remarking that he was going to â&#x20AC;˘' get a ride," and the
other peculiar incidents related,

napped

;

and

detective to
I

I

may add

whom

I

I

am

my

convinced that

that in this impression I

am

son was kid-

sustained by every

have been able to present the case in all
else I should have spent far more.

its

had not much money,

jf7,ooo will cover

The

it;

I

phases.

presume

but this totally impoverished me.

pictures of Freddie that

taken in Davenport, Iowa,

were sent

out. are copies of a

when he was a

little

good one

over three years old.

He was
in his facial appearance he had changed very little, if any.
one month less than five years old when he disappeared. He was passionately fond of music, had a good, sweet voice, and could sing verses
of several Sunday-school Hymns, and aho of the song called "Old Dog
But